1.5 million-year-old bone tool ‘factory’ unearthed in Tanzania

OLDUVAI GORGE, Tanzania (MNTV) – A groundbreaking discovery at Olduvai Gorge has revealed a 1.5 million-year-old “factory” of bone tools, challenging existing timelines and shedding new light on the cognitive abilities of early homo sapiens, reports Nature magazine. 

This find, documenting a systematic production of bone tools, predates previous evidence by over a million years, indicating a sophisticated understanding of toolmaking far earlier than previously thought.

Researchers unearthed 27 bone tools at the T69 Complex site in the Frida Leakey Korongo West Gully, a location renowned for its archaeological discoveries. These tools, primarily crafted from the limb bones of large mammals like elephants and hippos, demonstrate a deliberate and sophisticated knapping technique, similar to that used in stone tool production.

“This discovery leads us to assume that early humans significantly expanded their technological options,” said Dr. Ignacio de la Torre, a researcher at the CSIC-Spanish National Research Council. “This expansion of technological potential indicates advances in the cognitive abilities and mental structures of these hominins.”

The tools, exhibiting carefully chipped flakes and sharp edges, suggest a transfer of skills from stone to bone, a cognitive leap previously unseen in the fossil record for another million years. “It means that human ancestors were capable of transferring skills from stone to bone, a level of complex cognition that we haven’t seen elsewhere for another million years,” stated Dr. Renata Peters of University College London.

This discovery coincides with the transition from the Oldowan to the Acheulean age, a period marked by the development of more intricate tools. 

Prior to this find, bone tools were considered sporadic and isolated occurrences. The sheer volume and consistency of the tools at Olduvai Gorge indicate a “factory” setting, implying a deliberate and organized process.

While the exact purpose of the tools remains unclear, their shape and sharp edges suggest they were likely used for processing animal carcasses. The hominin species responsible for crafting these tools is also unknown, as no hominin remains were found at the site. Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei were known inhabitants of the region at the time.

Researchers hope this discovery will prompt a re-evaluation of bone discoveries worldwide, potentially revealing further evidence of early bone tool use. 

“Because these tools were such an unexpected discovery, we hope that our findings will prompt archaeologists to re-examine bone discoveries around the world in case other evidence of bone tools has been missed,” the researchers concluded. 

This finding significantly alters our understanding of early hominin technology and cognitive abilities, pushing back the timeline for sophisticated toolmaking and highlighting the adaptability of our ancient ancestors.