One sentence summary – Archaeologists have discovered evidence at Kalambo Falls in Zambia that early humans were building wooden structures almost half a million years ago, challenging the belief that Stone Age humans were strictly nomadic and providing valuable insight into their technological abilities and architectural practices.

At a glance

• Archaeologists have discovered evidence of early humans building structures from wood at Kalambo Falls in Zambia.
• Stone tool cut-marks on the wood indicate that early humans shaped and joined two large logs to create a structure, possibly a platform or dwelling.
• The age of the finds, determined using luminescence dating techniques, is at least 476,000 years old, predating the evolution of Homo sapiens.
• This discovery provides valuable insight into the technological abilities and architectural practices of early humans.
• The research is part of the Deep Roots Of Humanity project, funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council, and involved collaboration between teams from various institutions in Zambia.

The details

Archaeological Discovery at Kalambo Falls

Archaeologists have made a significant discovery at Kalambo Falls in Zambia.

They have unearthed evidence that early humans were building structures from wood almost half a million years ago.

This finding challenges the long-held belief that Stone Age humans were strictly nomadic.

Stone Tool Cut-Marks on Wood

The excavation revealed stone tool cut-marks on the wood.

These marks indicate that early humans shaped and joined two large logs to create a structure.

This structure could possibly be a platform or part of a dwelling.

Insight into Technological Abilities and Architectural Practices

This provides valuable insight into the technological abilities and architectural practices of early humans.

The age of the finds was determined using luminescence dating techniques.

These techniques revealed that the finds are at least 476,000 years old.

This places the discovery before the evolution of Homo sapiens.

This suggests that our ancestors were capable of sophisticated construction and engineering long before previously believed.

The Deep Roots Of Humanity Project

The research responsible for this discovery is part of the Deep Roots Of Humanity project.

This project aims to investigate how human technology developed during the Stone Age.

The project is funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council.

It involved collaboration between teams from Zambia’s National Heritage Conservation Commission, Livingstone Museum, Moto Moto Museum, and the National Museum in Lusaka.

These findings shed new light on our understanding of early human civilizations.

They expand our knowledge of the capabilities and behaviors of our distant ancestors.

By piecing together the evidence, archaeologists have revealed a previously unknown chapter in the story of human evolution.

This discovery not only highlights the impressive skills and resourcefulness of early humans.

It also emphasizes the importance of continued research into our shared history.

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