New research from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University, titled "Evidence for the earliest structural use of wood at least 476,000 years ago" published in the journal Nature, reveals that humans constructed wooden structures almost half a million years ago at Kalambo Falls, Zambia, challenging previous timelines. These findings predate Homo sapiens, showcasing early human ingenuity.
World's Oldest Wooden Structures
Expert analysis of stone tool markings on the wood reveals early humans' ability to shape and assemble two substantial logs, likely forming a foundational platform or dwelling component. This groundbreaking discovery represents the earliest known instance worldwide of intentionally crafting logs to fit together.
Typically, wood decays over time at ancient sites, but Kalambo Falls' perpetual high water levels preserved this wood, challenging the conventional belief that Stone Age humans were nomadic. These individuals had access to a consistent water source and abundant forest resources, allowing them to settle and construct innovative wooden structures.
By employing luminescence dating on sand samples retrieved from the location, the team of researchers identified three groupings: a cut log and a pointed wooden piece dating back 324,000 years; a digging stick from 390,000 years ago; and a wooden wedge accompanied by two logs that overlapped, with an age of 476,000 years.
Professor Larry Barham, who leads the 'Deep Roots of Humanity' research project at the University of Liverpool's Department of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology, commented that this discovery fundamentally alters our understanding of early human ancestors.
He noted that these individuals demonstrated exceptional creativity by constructing innovative and substantial wooden structures, showcasing their intelligence, imagination, and skills. Additionally, they reshaped their surroundings for practicality, including the creation of riverside platforms for daily tasks, suggesting a closer resemblance to us than previously thought.
Early Humans Used Resources Available to Them
The altered wooden fragments discovered at Kalambo bear resemblance to 400,000-year-old tools for foraging and hunting found in Europe and China. However, the interlocking logs found here, according to the researchers, have no known counterparts in the African or Eurasian Palaeolithic.
One of the logs, retrieved from a layer containing stone tools, measured 55.6 inches (141.3 centimeters) in length and was positioned at a 75-degree angle atop a substantial tree trunk. Both the upper log and the top of the lower trunk exhibited signs of chopping and scraping, creating a notch that allowed them to fit securely together.
The researchers suggested that using wood from tree trunks enabled early humans to create substantial structures, potentially enhancing their life in a periodically wet floodplain, possibly for constructing raised platforms, walkways, or dwelling foundations.
The preservation of perishable wooden artifacts at Kalambo Falls is highly significant, as archaeological evidence primarily involves durable items like stone tools. Shadreck Chirikure from the University of Oxford highlights the importance of this discovery, challenging the belief that hominins did not use wood despite its widespread availability.
These findings defy previous assumptions about the cultural and biological evolution of Middle Pleistocene hominins at Kalambo, suggesting they possessed greater intelligence and resourcefulness. Chirikure suggests reevaluating the materials used by early humans, both those leaving physical traces and perishable items, for a deeper understanding of their behavior and innovation.
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