In a coal mine in southern Greece, archaeologists uncovered the oldest wooden tools ever discovered, dating back 430,000 years. This find pushes back the timeline for wooden tool use by 40,000 years.
When we think of ancient humans, we often picture them using stone tools. This view is limited because stone survives better over time than wood, which decays quickly. But these recent findings show that wood was also vital to our ancestors. Katerina Harvati, a researcher from the University of Tübingen, noted, “It might be the oldest type of tool that anybody used.”
These tools were found at Marathousa 1, a rich archaeological site. From 2013 to 2019, researchers uncovered many different artifacts, including a complete skeleton of a straight-tusked elephant, along with butchery marks. This site suggests that it was a vibrant lakeshore environment, which provided various resources during a cold glacial period in Europe.
Life back then was tough. Harvati explains, “It’s one of the worst glacial episodes in Pleistocene Europe.” Yet, the Megalopolis basin acted as a refuge, offering a milder climate and resources that supported life.
Among the 144 preserved wood pieces, two tools stood out. One is an 81 cm long stick made from alder. It has signs of human shaping, suggesting it could have been used for digging into the ground to find tubers or even processing animal carcasses. The second tool is smaller, at just 5.7 cm, made from willow or poplar, and its purpose remains unclear. Harvati calls it a “completely new type of wooden tool,” raising questions about its specific function.
No hominin fossils were found at the site, leaving the identity of the toolmakers a mystery. However, based on the age of the tools, they could belong to a pre-Neanderthal group, possibly Homo heidelbergensis. This highlights how adaptable these early humans were in a harsh environment.
The Marathousa 1 discoveries suggest that early human technology was more diverse than just stone tools. As Harvati points out, organic artifacts like wooden tools are more fragile and harder to discover. Recent studies, like one from Boxgrove in England, have unearthed even older tools, including a 500,000-year-old hammer made from elephant bone, used for specific purposes.
Interestingly, the oldest evidence of woodcraft comes from the Kalambo Falls site in Zambia, where logs dated to 476,000 years were found, likely used as part of a shelter. While building structures and crafting handheld tools involve different cognitive skills, they both illustrate how our ancestors engaged with their environment.
As we continue to explore ancient sites that preserve these perishable materials, it’s clear that our understanding of the “Stone Age” may need reevaluation. Our ancestors were skilled in both stone and wood, showcasing a rich tapestry of ingenuity.
For detailed insights into ancient woodcraft and its implications, you can read more in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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homo heidelbergensis,Neanderthal,stone age
