考古学者らは、14万6000年前の過酷な氷河期に中国中部で初期人類が高度な石器を作っていた証拠を発見した。この発見は霊井遺跡から得られたもので、人類の創造性がいつ出現したかという従来の想定を覆すものである。
中国中部の霊井遺跡で研究を行っている調査チームは、10年以上にわたり、ホモ・ジュルエンシス（Homo juluensis）と呼ばれる絶滅した近縁種に関連する動物の骨や石器の発掘を続けてきた。学術誌『Journal of Human Evolution』に掲載された新しい研究によると、同遺跡は約14万6000年前のものと推定され、これらの遺物は以前の予測よりも温暖な時代ではなく、寒冷な氷河期の産物であることが示された。
Archaeologists continue to uncover evidence of early human technologies and artistic expressions, but determining their precise timelines remains difficult due to preservation issues and dating limitations. Recent finds, such as 430,000-year-old wooden tools in Greece and a 67,800-year-old hand stencil in Indonesia, push back known dates, yet experts caution against overinterpreting single discoveries. Columnist Michael Marshall examines how these artifacts shape our understanding of human evolution.
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A new study suggests that the disappearance of massive herbivores in the Levant around 200,000 years ago prompted early humans to switch from heavy stone tools to lighter, more sophisticated ones. Researchers at Tel Aviv University analyzed archaeological sites and found this tool revolution coincided with a drop in large prey and a rise in smaller animals. The findings, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, propose that hunting smaller prey may have driven cognitive evolution.
A possible kneeprint left by a Neanderthal has been found in clay inside Bruniquel cave in south-west France. The impression dates to around 175,000 years ago and sits close to circular structures built from broken stalagmites.
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Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a brutal massacre at an Iron Age site in Serbia, where 77 individuals, mostly women and children, were violently killed over 2,800 years ago. The findings indicate an intentional act amid regional conflicts between pastoralists and settled farmers. The burial, accompanied by personal items and food remnants, points to a symbolic ritual.