Paleoanthropologists working in Konso’s research area in Ethiopia have found a large 1.4 million-year-old ax-shaped bone fragment.
The 1.4 million-year-old bone ax was recovered from Konso’s research area in Ethiopia. Image credit: Sano et al, doi: 10.1073 / pnas.2006370117.
The newly discovered handaxe is a bifacially scaled fragment of a hippopotamus femur (thigh bone).
The excellently preserved tool, measuring 12.8 by 7.5 by 4.6 cm, was found in the Konso Formation in southern Ethiopia.
The ancient artifact was analyzed by University of Tokyo paleoanthropologist Gen Suwa and colleagues in Japan, Ethiopia, and Hong Kong.
The researchers found that the hadax has at least 44 secondary scale scars (28 on the cortical aspect and 16 on the internal aspect). These vary in size from 3 cm to less than 1 cm.
“Both the distribution pattern of flake scars and the high frequency of cone fractures are strong indicators of deliberate peeling,” they said.
“The hatchet is made with substantial sophistication as evidenced by, for example, the large number of small well-controlled cortical lateral extractions to form the hatchet shape.”
“The finer bifacial flaking made a relatively straight edge in a lateral view, allowing for efficient cutting.”
“The wear and tear analysis shows that one of the leading edges was probably used for cutting and sawing.”
Konso’s handaxe was probably produced and used by Homo erectus, a full-bodied hominid who lived between 1.9 million and 108,000 years ago.
“This bone ax shows that in Konso, not only in lytic technology, but also in bone modification, Homo erectus the individuals were trained enough to make and use a durable cutting edge, “the scientists said.
The bone tool is the oldest widely-known example of scales from the early Pleistocene period.
It is also only the second bone tool recognized as an early Acheulean hand ax, a type of stone tool industry characterized by large bifaces.
“The discovery of the finely made Konso bone ax 1.4 million years ago shows that the refinement of flaking technology in the early Acheulean involved both stone and bone and provides further evidence of the technological and behavioral sophistication of Africans Homo erectus until the Acheulean times, ”said the authors.
His article was published in the procedures of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Katsuhiro Sano et al. A 1.4 million-year-old bone ax from Konso, Ethiopia shows advanced tool technology in the early Acheulean. PNAS, published on July 13, 2020; doi: 10.1073 / pnas.2006370117
