Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable set of bone tools at Olduvai Gorge in northern Tanzania, dating back 1.5 million years. This discovery significantly predates previous evidence of systematic bone tool production and offers fresh insights into the technological capabilities of early hominins.
The tools, fashioned from the limb bones of large mammals such as elephants and hippos, were shaped through a knapping process similar to that used for stone tool-making. This suggests that early hominins possessed the ability to transfer their knowledge of stone craftsmanship to bone, indicating an advanced level of cognitive development.
“These findings suggest that early humans expanded their technological options, incorporating bone as a raw material alongside stone,” said Dr. Ignacio de la Torre from the CSIC-Spanish National Research Council. He added that this adaptation points to significant progress in hominin cognition and problem-solving skills.
The 27 bone tools were discovered at the T69 Complex site in the Frida Leakey Korongo West Gully, an area renowned for its archaeological significance. Their well-defined edges suggest they were intentionally crafted, likely for processing animal carcasses.
Previously, evidence of bone tools in the fossil record was sporadic, with systematic production believed to have begun only around 500,000 years ago. However, these newly identified artifacts date back to a transitional period between the Oldowan and Acheulean technological phases. The Acheulean era, which began roughly 1.7 million years ago, was marked by more sophisticated stone tool-making techniques, including the production of standardized handaxes.
The absence of hominin remains at the site leaves uncertainty about which species created the tools. Both Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei are known to have inhabited the region during this time.
“This unexpected discovery encourages a reevaluation of bone artifacts globally,” the researchers noted, suggesting that similar tools may have been previously overlooked in other excavations.