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Recent findings in East Africa have reshaped our understanding of early hominin toolmaking, suggesting that our ancestors may have begun crafting tools from animal bones far earlier than historically documented. Evidence points to the practice of knapping—shaping bones by striking them at specific angles—dating back potentially 1.5 million years.
This revelation emerges from the work of paleoanthropologists, led by Ignacio de la Torre from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), who analyzed bone fragments from the renowned Olduvai Gorge in northern Tanzania. As a crucial paleoanthropological site located in the Great Rift Valley, Olduvai Gorge has played a vital role in illuminating the lives of early humans since its discovery over a century ago.
The bones included those from ancient elephants and hippos. Credit: CSIC César Hernández Regal
The research team unearthed 27 tools primarily fashioned from the bones of ancient hippopotamuses and elephants, some measuring up to 1.25 feet. Detailed in a study published on March 5 in the journal Nature, these findings imply that the capabilities of early hominins for both adaptation and innovation extend significantly further back in time than previously recognized.
Previously, the earliest evidence of systematic bone tool production through knapping was attributed to European sites, dated to between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago. In contrast, finds from earlier African contexts were often viewed as sporadic and less representative of the toolkits used by early Homo. However, the bones discovered at Olduvai Gorge exhibit a level of uniformity that suggests a deliberate and skilled approach to toolmaking.
The researchers noted, “A comprehensive understanding of bone fracture mechanics is evidenced by the chosen use of large mammal bones and the application of consistent flaking techniques.” They further indicated that the production of tools with similar shapes and features points to the use of mental templates among these early toolmakers.
The implications of this discovery go beyond the tools’ age; they place these artifacts within a broader historical context of human development. The authors of the study assert that the incorporation of these tools into the cultural practices of hominins during this period signals a significant phase in the evolution of cultural adaptation in Africa, particularly during the late Oldowan and early Acheulean periods.
The advancements around this time could have far-reaching implications for our understanding of behavioral complexity, including cognitive development, methods of tool curation, and the strategies used for collecting raw materials.
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