Skip to content

Now Archaeology

Everything about archaeology

Menu
  • Archaeology
  • Anthropology
  • Culture
  • Heritage
  • Travel
  • News
  • Paleontology
Menu
Obsidian handaxes from 1.2 million years ago found in Ethiopia

Obsidian handaxes from 1.2 million years ago found in Ethiopia

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Elif Duluk

A ancient “knapping workshop” with approximately 600 obsidian handaxes that date back at least 1.2 million years has been discovered in Ethiopia. 

Handaxes, frequently referred to be humanity’s “first great innovation,” are made via the knapping method.

Handaxes were made by chipping shards off a chunk of stone to create a sharp edge, and were held in the hand rather than affixed to handles. They are distinguished by their teardrop or pear form. They were fashioned from flint or, subsequently, obsidian, a form of volcanic glass. 

The first handaxes in the palaeontological record were discovered in Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge at least 1.5 million years ago. Around 500,000 years ago, handaxes are said to have spread over Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. They were still being manufactured 40,000 years ago. For such a long period, no other cultural artifact has been known to exist.

According to previous study, knapping workshops first appeared in the archaeological record in Europe several hundred thousand years ago – up to 774,000 years ago. The Ethiopian discovery roughly doubles previous estimates. 

According to the news of Cosmos, the researchers discovered 578 obsidian handaxes buried in mud, with the exception of three. By analyzing the material surrounding the instruments, they were able to determine their age.

The axes’ structure was comparable, indicating that an old knapping workshop had been uncovered. 

Photo: Cosmos

It is unknown which hominins created the tools. Homo erectus, which appeared approximately 2 million years ago in Africa and vanished from the fossil record as recently as 100,000 years ago, looks to be a viable contender.

What the data does indicate is a level of planning that is frequently attributed to later human forebears. The handaxes were pre-crafted and stored, implying that the idea of creativity and preparation existed in these 1.2 million year old human forebears.

The researchers write that: “It has been argued that, in earlier times, multiple activities of everyday life were all uniformly conducted at the same spot. The separation of focused activities across different localities, which indicates a degree of planning, according to this mindset, characterizes later hominins.” 

Cover photo: IFL Science

Recent Posts

  • Giant Trapdoor spider fossil discovered in Australia
  • Viking trade connections
  • A new Indo-European language discovered in the Hittite capital Hattusa
  • The use of steel tools in Europe
  • China’s First Emperor Qin Shi Huang is so feared that he cannot be exhumed

Archives

  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022

Categories

  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Culture
  • Heritage
  • News
  • Paleontology
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policies
  • Home
  • Privacy
©2023 Now Archaeology | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme