Archaeologists have confirmed that a 500,000-year-old hammer made from elephant bone is the oldest tool of its kind ever discovered in Europe. This rare discovery sheds new light on the company’s technological capabilities. early ancestors of humans Prehistoric southern England.
Elephant bone tools unearthed at the Boxgrove site near Chichester, West Sussex, offer a rare glimpse into the craftsmanship of early Neanderthals and species such as Homo heidelbergensis.
Researchers from University College London and the Natural History Museum analyzed the artifact and found that it had been intentionally shaped and repeatedly used to sharpen stone tools such as hatchets.
Elephant bone tools offer new insights into prehistoric Europe
of team found The bone fragment was discovered in the early 1990s, but detailed analysis only recently revealed that it was a tool. Using 3D scanning and electron microscopy, they found incisions and impact marks on its surface, as well as tiny pieces of flint embedded in grooves.
These marks reveal that the tool was used as a hammer, likely for repairing stone tool blades that had become dull through a process known as knapping.
Lead author Simon Parfitt, from UCL and the Natural History Museum, said the discovery highlighted the resourcefulness of early humans. He explained that these ancestors had a deep understanding and selection of the available materials. elephant boneDue to its strength and durability, despite its rarity. Parfitt noted that such materials were likely considered valuable and worth preserving.
Approximately 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) long, 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) wide, and 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) thick, the tool has a triangular shape and is made primarily of cortical bone, the dense outer layer of bone tissue.
Its size and strength suggest that it came from a large animal. Elephants or mammothsHowever, the fragments are too incomplete to confirm the exact species.
Oldest tool of its kind sheds light on early human ingenuity
Co-author Dr Sylvia Bello, a researcher at the Natural History Museum, said the use of this bone fragment as a tool reflects complex thinking and a deliberate approach to tool-making. She emphasized that molding and reusing such rare materials into delicate tasks like sharpening shows advanced planning.
Tools made from elephant bones have been found in African sites dating back 1.5 million years, but similar discoveries in Europe are extremely rare and are usually much younger.
Most date back less than 43,000 years and are associated with early modern humans, usually living in warmer regions. The discovery of the box glove is therefore particularly important for understanding early tool use in prehistoric Europe.