The piece is at least 476,000 years old. This requires advanced technical capabilities, according to a study published in the journal “Nature” on Wednesday.
This discovery changes our view of the first humans. Archaeologists have unearthed the oldest wooden structure ever fashioned by humans. This complex construction requires advanced technical capabilities, according to the study published Wednesday September 20 in the journal Nature . Exceptionally well preserved, the piece was discovered at the prehistoric site of Kalambo Falls in what is now Zambia, and dates back at least 476,000 years. This is long before the supposed appearance of our own species, Homo sapiens. In fact, modern man appeared around 300,000 years ago.
The wooden piece that was discovered consists of two interlocking logs, connected transversely by an intentionally made notch. It must have been used to build a structure, probably the foundation of a raised platform, a passage or a habitat. A collection of wooden tools, including a digging stick, was also unearthed at the site. Photos of the different elements are visible on the website. Nature.
The use of wood by man at such ancient ages had already been proven, but for a limited use: making fire, or sharpening sticks for hunting or gathering.
The previous oldest wooden structure dates back 9,000 years
The oldest wooden structure known to date dates back only 9,000 years, specifies Larry Barham, professor at the British University of Liverpool and first author of the study. The archaeologist did not expect to find such a treasure while excavating the prehistoric site of Kalambo, located on the banks of the river of the same name, above waterfalls 235 meters high. “It is rare to find wood in such ancient sites because it usually rots and disappears. But at Kalambo Falls, persistently high water levels have preserved it”explain the authors in a press release.
The new pieces, discovered in 2019, revealed their age with luminescence dating of the deposits surrounding the objects. This method makes it possible to determine when they were last exposed to sunlight before being buried, details Professor Geoff Duller of the University of Aberystwyth in Wales, co-author.
Abstraction capacity
Larry Barham confides thatdiscovered “changed his vision” of our first ancestors. “They used their intelligence to transform their environment and make their lives easier, even if only by making a platform to sit on by the river”deciphers the archaeologist.
The authors of this structure succeeded in manufacturing “something they had never seen before” : unlike the size of a stick, easily observed and imitated, the creation of two pieces with a view to their assembly shows, according to him, faculties of abstraction. ” The fact that they were able to work with wood on a large scale implies cognitive abilities such as planning, visualizing the finished product before its design, moving objects mentally in space.observes prehistorian Sophie Archambault de Beaune, professor at Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, who did not participate in the work.