Archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest known bone tools—dated to 1.5 million years ago—at Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge. The discovery revealed that early human ancestors, likely Homo erectus, used bones from hippos and elephants to craft tools for butchering. This finding, published in Nature, predates previous bone tool evidence by nearly a million years and shows early hominins had the cognitive ability to transfer stone-knapping skills to bone. Found among thousands of stone tools and fossils, these 27 bone implements highlight an important technological leap, especially in regions lacking suitable stone. The breakthrough offers fresh insights into human evolution and suggests scientists should re-examine fossil sites for overlooked bone tool evidence.
Source: The Conversation