Oldest Known Bone Tools Found in Tanzania Date Back 1.5 Million Years

The discovery of 27 systematically crafted tools from animal bones reveals advanced cognitive abilities in early human ancestors.

Archaeologists unearthed 27 bone tools in Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge, marking the earliest known systematic use of bone tools, dating back 1.5 million years.
The tools were crafted from the limb bones of large mammals such as elephants and hippos, using knapping techniques similar to those used for stone tools.
The tools demonstrate advanced cognitive abilities, including the ability to adapt stone toolmaking techniques to new materials and create standardized designs.
Researchers believe the tools were likely used for butchering animal carcasses, with evidence of deliberate shaping and flaking to create sharp edges and points.
While the specific hominin species responsible remains unclear, Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei are among the possible creators of the tools.