A new study published in Nature has revealed that early humans used bones to craft tools around 1.5 million years ago, challenging previous assumptions about the evolution of tool-making.
The discovery was made by a team of researchers led by Ignacio de la Torre at the Spanish National Research Council. They found dozens of bone tools, including hand axes and cleavers, in a trench in Tanzania’s T69 Complex, a site known for its Acheulean stone tools.
The study suggests that early humans gained the ability to conceptualize complex tool shapes and then sculpt rocks to bring them into existence around 3.3 million years ago. However, the use of bone as a material was not widely practiced until around 1.5 million years ago.
Researchers found 27 bone tools in total, including ones made from elephant bones, which were likely crafted elsewhere. The presence of these bone tools in large quantities suggests that early humans had a sophisticated understanding of tool-making and planning.
“We may be missing a whole world of tools made by early humans,” said de la Torre. “It’s clear that they were comfortable working with bone and familiar with doing so.”
The study’s findings have implications for our understanding of human evolution and the development of tool-making skills. As de la Torre noted, it may be the case that archaeologists have not looked hard enough to uncover these types of discoveries in other ancient sites.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/science/early-human-bone-tools-axes.html