Unprecedented Structure Leaves Archaeologists in Awe, Defying All Precedents

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A recent study on cut marks made by stone tools revealed the presence of a simple structure on the riverbank in Zambia. This structure consists of two logs that lock together, with a deliberate notch in the upper piece allowing them to fit at right angles. The discovery was made in 2019 by a team including Geoff Duller, a geography and Earth sciences professor at the University of Aberystwyth. The structure, located upstream of Kalambo Falls near the Zambia-Tanzania border, is believed to have served as a wooden platform, possibly used for keeping food or firewood dry, or as a foundation for building a dwelling. Additionally, wooden tools, including a digging stick, were found at the same site.

The fact that the wood has stayed undisturbed and preserved for five hundred thousand years is truly remarkable. It provides us with a valuable understanding and glimpse into that specific era," expressed Duller, a study coauthor, discussing the recently published findings on the ancient wooden structure in the journal Nature. "It has completely altered my perception of the abilities of people during that period," he further commented.

Wooden artifacts are not often found in archaeological sites, especially at such an ancient location, due to the quick decay and disintegration of organic materials. However, at Kalambo, the wood was preserved due to the high water levels and fine sediment that covered the structure.

According to Duller, this discovery questions the widely accepted belief that Stone Age humans were primarily nomadic. He suggests that Kalambo Falls would have been a dependable water source and the nearby forest would have provided abundant food, possibly enabling a more permanent settlement.

"At the very least, theyre putting a huge amount of effort into this place," he said.

The wooden structure has no real parallel in the archaeological record, according to the study.

The wooden structure was found at an archaeological site upstream of Kalambo Falls in Zambia.

Dr. Geoff Duller from Aberystwyth University has discovered an impressive archaeological find. A piece of wood, dating back 780,000 years, has been uncovered at the Gesher Benot Yaaqov site in Israel. This remarkable artifact is the earliest known example of polished plank. In addition to this, the oldest wooden tools used for foraging and hunting in Europe have been unearthed, dating back approximately 400,000 years. It is believed that Neanderthals utilized bones or stalactites to construct structures around 175,000 years ago.

How was the structure constructed?

Duller likened the method employed to join the various parts of the structure to Lincoln Logs, a children's building toy consisting of miniature logs that interlock using square notches. He expressed doubt that the two logs had spontaneously drifted and effortlessly connected with each other.

"By producing modern replicas of the stone tools and working with woods of similar density, my colleagues and I have observed the identical shaping marks," stated Duller. "This evidence gives us strong confidence that this is not a natural occurrence, but rather an intentional process carried out using stone tools."

Shown is one of four tools found at the site. This implement was used to shape the wooden structure, according to the researchers.

Professor Larry Barham/University of Liverpool

The wood pieces were too ancient to be accurately dated using radiocarbon techniques. Instead, the team employed a method known as luminescence dating, which entailed gauging the inherent radioactivity in minerals within the delicate sediment that enveloped the wood to determine its most recent exposure to sunlight.

Aerial view of a desert kite from Jebel az-Zilliyat, Saudi Arabia.

O. Barge, CNRS

Stone Age humans created intricate plans to construct enigmatic colossal structures. Utilizing a dating method, these impressive edifices were estimated to be 476,000 years old. Furthermore, it was discovered that the four wooden tools used in their construction - a wedge, digging stick, cut log, and notched branch - date back approximately 324,000 years.

The identity of the ancient human species responsible for constructing the structure and wooden tools remains uncertain among researchers but is believed to be unlikely linked to our own Homo sapiens ancestors. According to Duller, the earliest Homo sapiens fossils discovered in Israel around 300,000 years ago do not align with the timeline. Moreover, the intricate nature of the structure implies that its creators possessed advanced cognitive abilities enabling them to devise complex plans, potentially indicating the utilization of language.

Larry Barham (right), professor of archaeology at the University of Liverpool, carefully uncovers the wooden structure on the riverbank with a fine spray.

Archaeologist Dr. Annemieke Milks, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Reading in the UK, commented that the findings from Professor Geoff Duller's study at Aberystwyth University unveil the beginning of human-induced alterations to the planet for their advantage. Moreover, the research paper confirmed the significance of a prevalent modern-day material in the Stone Age, which had been conjectured for a long time.

"Studies such as this one highlight the role of this most humble of materials in the human story," said Milks, who wasnt involved in the research.