Archaeologists have uncovered what may be the oldest example of woodworking, created nearly half a million years ago. This remarkable find provides clear evidence that ancient Stone Age humans began constructing wooden structures from tree trunks earlier than previously thought possible.
Stone Age Woodworking Sample
Researchers discovered two interlocked logs, connected by a deliberately carved notch, along with a collection of wooden tools at the Kalambo Falls in Zambia. The upper log was shaped, and both logs showed signs of tool marks.
Experts believe that the first carpenters used logs to create a raised platform or walkway to stay dry in the periodically wet floodplain. It’s also possible that the wood was used to form an early foundation for primitive homes.
As archaeologists note, the wooden structure, dated to around 476,000 years ago, could be the oldest known example of wood being used in construction. Wooden artifacts from the early Stone Age are rarely preserved, as they require exceptional conditions to avoid rotting. In this case, however, they were preserved due to a high water level.
A Discovery That Changes Our Understanding of Stone Age Humans
Professor Larry Barham from the University of Liverpool, who led the research, told the Daily Mail that this discovery alters our perception of our early ancestors. He emphasized that we should move beyond the label “Stone Age” and consider what these people accomplished, as they created something new and significant from wood.
Professor Barham points out that our ancient ancestors used their intellect, imagination, and skills to create things they had never seen before—things that did not exist prior. According to him, they modified their environment to make life easier, even if it was just creating a platform to sit by the river and engage in daily activities. He believes these people were more like us than we have previously thought.
Previously, most evidence of human wood use was limited to making spears and digging sticks or using wood as fuel for fire. The assumption that wood was used for building platforms or foundations for dwellings challenges the common belief that Stone Age people were nomadic.
The age of the findings was determined by experts from Aberystwyth University (Wales) using new luminescence dating methods, which indicate when the minerals in the sand surrounding the findings were last exposed to sunlight. Professor Jeff Daller from Aberystwyth University states that these new dating methods have far-reaching implications—they allow us to date much deeper into the past, piecing together sites that give us insight into human evolution.
A Brief History of the Stone Age
The Stone Age is a prehistoric period characterized by the original development of stone tools and encompasses over 95% of human technological prehistory. It begins with the earliest known use of stone tools by hominins—our ancient ancestors—around 3.3 million years ago.
Between approximately 400,000 and 200,000 years ago, the pace of innovation in stone tool technology began to accelerate somewhat, marking this period as the Middle Stone Age. By this time, hand axes were being crafted with refined skill.
Eventually, these were replaced by smaller and more diverse toolkits, focusing on flakes rather than larger cores. These tools emerged at least 285,000 years ago in parts of Africa and 250,000 to 200,000 years ago in Europe and some areas of Western Asia. These toolkits existed for at least 50,000 to 28,000 years.
During the Late Stone Age, the rate of innovation increased, and the level of craftsmanship improved. Homo sapiens groups experimented with various materials, including bone, ivory, horn, and stone. This period, between 50,000 and 39,000 years ago, is also associated with the emergence of modern humans in Africa.
Different groups sought their own cultural identities and developed their own methods of making things. Later, Stone Age people and their technologies spread beyond Africa over the following millennia.