Oldest Wooden Structure Predating Modern Humans Discovered

Wooden structure 476,000 years old found in ZambiaPhoto byNature

Archaeologists have made a stunning discovery near Zambia’s Kalambo Falls, unearthing a settlement that predates Homo sapiens by almost half a million years.

This novel research, detailed in the journal Nature, points to the wooden artifacts found at the site—such as notched branches, cut logs, digging sticks, and wedges—dating back 476,000 years, making them some of the oldest known human-made wooden tools ever discovered.

Larry Barham, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Liverpool, emphasized how important this find was. He noted these ancient people displayed remarkable intelligence, imagination, and skill in crafting innovative wooden structures, challenging traditional labels like the “Stone Age.”

The dating of these wooden tools became possible through luminescence analysis, as the wood had been preserved due to water logging over hundreds of thousands of years.

While the precise hominin species responsible for crafting these extraordinary wooden artifacts remains uncertain, evidence suggests that Homo heidelbergensis, which emerged around 600,000 years ago, could have played a role.

This discovery reshapes our understanding of early human history, pushing back the timeline of human construction abilities. Previously, the oldest known man-made structures were Neanderthal-built stalagmite walls dating to 176,000 years ago in a French cave. In comparison, these newly uncovered wooden tools are 476,000 years old, hinting at the possibility of more ancient constructions yet to be found.

The purpose of the interconnected wooden logs found at Kalambo Falls remains a subject of debate, with possibilities ranging from serving as a foundation, walkway, or a raised platform in an area prone to periodic flooding. These findings not only show a significant alteration of the inhabited space but also suggest that the early inhabitants were not nomadic.

This discovery was part of the Deep Roots of Humanity project from the University of Liverpool, aimed at exploring technological changes in south-central Africa that influenced hominin evolution.

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