Researchers have uncovered the oldest wooden tools in Greece, dating back 430,000 years. These artifacts shed light on ancient human tool-making practices and their preservation conditions.
International
-Sathish Raman
Two
ancient
wooden
tools
have
been
discovered
at
a
lakeside
in
Greece,
dating
back
430,000
years.
One
tool
is
a
slender
stick,
about
2.5
feet
long,
possibly
used
for
digging.
The
other
is
a
smaller
piece
of
willow
or
poplar
wood,
which
might
have
been
used
to
shape
stone
tools.
This
discovery
was
detailed
in
the
journal
Proceedings
of
the
National
Academy
of
Sciences.
image
Researchers
have
uncovered
the
oldest
wooden
tools
in
Greece,
dating
back
430,000
years.
These
artifacts
shed
light
on
ancient
human
tool-making
practices
and
their
preservation
conditions.
Wooden
tools
from
ancient
times
are
rare
finds
due
to
wood’s
tendency
to
decay
quickly.
They
are
usually
preserved
only
in
specific
conditions
such
as
ice,
caves,
or
underwater
environments.
The
tools
found
in
Greece’s
Megalopolis
basin
were
likely
preserved
by
being
rapidly
buried
in
sediment
and
maintained
by
a
wet
environment
over
time.
Ancient
Tools
and
Their
Preservation
Researchers
have
previously
uncovered
various
remnants
at
this
site,
including
stone
tools
and
elephant
bones
with
cut
marks.
Although
the
wooden
tools
themselves
weren’t
directly
dated,
the
site
is
estimated
to
be
around
430,000
years
old,
providing
an
approximate
age
for
these
artifacts.
Study
author
Annemieke
Milks
from
the
University
of
Reading
expressed
excitement
about
handling
these
ancient
objects.
“I’ve
always
just
been
thrilled
to
be
able
to
touch
these
objects,” Milks
stated.
However,
human
remains
have
not
yet
been
found
at
the
site,
leaving
uncertainty
about
who
used
these
tools.
Potential
Users
and
Comparisons
The
tools’ users
could
have
been
Neanderthals,
early
human
ancestors,
or
another
group
entirely.
Archaeologist
Jarod
Hutson
from
the
Smithsonian
National
Museum
of
Natural
History
noted
that
more
historical
treasures
might
still
be
hidden
at
this
Greek
site.
However,
the
simple
appearance
of
these
tools
makes
them
challenging
to
interpret.
“It’s
difficult
to
get
excited
about
these
because
they
don’t
strike
you
immediately
as
wooden
tools.
And
we
don’t
know
what
they
were
used
for,” said
Hutson,
who
did
not
participate
in
the
study.
Insights
into
Early
Human
Technology
This
discovery
provides
a
rare
glimpse
into
the
diverse
array
of
tools
early
humans
used
for
survival.
Study
author
Katerina
Harvati
from
the
University
of
Tubingen
highlighted
this
aspect
in
an
email:
“The
new
find
offers
a
rare
look
into
the
varied
collection
of
tools
used
to
survive
—
a
glimpse
at
a
‘little
known
aspect
of
the
technology
of
early
humans.'”
Other
ancient
wooden
tools
include
spears
from
Germany
and
300,000-year-old
digging
sticks
from
China
that
may
have
been
used
for
plant
harvesting.
With
inputs
from
PTI
