An international team of researchers has reported new finds of stone tools from Olduvai or
Stone tools from Nyayange. Image: Thomas W. Plummer et al., Science
Oldowan tools, consisting of stones withremoved from one to several flakes, are the most ancient widely distributed and preserved hominid tools. Previously known examples of the oldest examples of this culture dated back 2.6 million years and were limited to a small area in Ethiopia. The new finds are located at a distance of more than 1,300 km from the previously known source.
In a study published in Science, researchersdescribe 330 stone artifacts. The tools were used to process various products. Near the tools, the researchers found bones of hippo-like animals, some of which had cuts, suggesting that the tools were used for butchering meat. Heavier tools were also used to grind plant materials such as tubers and fruits.
Fossilized animal bones with traces of processing. Image: Thomas W. Plummer et al., Science
The Olduvai culture is traditionally associated withgenus Homo, the ancient ancestors of modern humans. But on the site of ancient monuments in Kenya, no traces of representatives of our family were found. But next to one of the groups of stone tools, several teeth of a related branch of primates, Paranthropus or massive Australopithecus, were found.
It is believed that members of this genus originatedfrom australopithecines as well as humans. But unlike the species of our genus, Paranthropus did not survive to our time, the genus was interrupted about a million years ago. Although the use of tools by these ancient primates has not yet been proven, the researchers believe that the Alduvan culture was common in both genera.
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