Olduvai Gorge Discovery: 1.5 Million-Year-Old Bone Tools Reveal Early Human Ancestors' Cognitive Abilities

Archaeologists in northern Tanzania have unearthed a collection of bone tools dating back approximately 1.5 million years. The discovery, made in Olduvai Gorge, pushes back the known use of bone tools by nearly a million years. The tools, crafted from the bones of hippos and elephants, show signs of shaping and sharpening, likely using stone. Researchers identified 27 bone fragments with tool marks. The systematic nature of the bone tool production suggests advanced cognitive abilities in hominins. According to Dr. Ignacio de la Torre, this technological expansion signifies advancements in the cognitive capabilities of these hominins, demonstrating their ability to apply stone-knapping knowledge to bone manipulation. Olduvai Gorge, often called the "Cradle of Humankind," has yielded remains of Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and early Homo sapiens. The bone tools were first noted in 2018. While the exact use of the tools remains unknown, researchers theorize they were used for butchering animal carcasses and creating new tools. The hominin species responsible for the tools is also currently undetermined.