Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery, unearthing the “oldest known hand-held wooden tool” at a Middle Pleistocene site in Marathusa 1, Greece.
Impression of a Marathusa 1 female artist crafting a digging stick using small stone tools from an alder trunk. Image credit: G. Prieto / K. Harvati.
According to Professor Katerina Herberty from the University of Tübingen, “The Middle Pleistocene was crucial for human evolution, marking a period when complex behaviors emerged.”
“This era also showcases the earliest reliable evidence of the targeted use of plants for technological purposes.”
The 430,000-year-old wooden tools discovered at the Marathusa 1 site, led by Professor Harbati and his team, consist of worked alder trunks and small willow/poplar artifacts.
The primary tool is made from alder wood (Alnus sp.) and features engraving marks along with associated stop and chop marks, indicating intentional shaping.
This approximately 81 cm long artifact displays signs of usage consistent with a multifunctional rod likely employed for paleolakeshore excavation.
The second tool, a small piece of willow/poplar (Salix sp./Populus sp.), measures 5.7 cm and exhibits signs of rounding.
This object shows two signs of potential processing, suggesting that growth rings have been removed from one end.
Researchers hypothesize that this small wooden tool’s function remains uncertain but may have been utilized for modifying stone tools.
Alongside these wooden tools, scientists uncovered butchered remains of an elephant with straight tusks (Paleoloxodon Antique), as well as stone artifacts and processed bones.
Dr. Annemieke Milks, a researcher at the University of Reading, states, “Unlike stone artifacts, wooden objects need special conditions to survive over long durations.”
“We meticulously examined all tree remains, analyzing the surfaces under a microscope.”
“Our findings revealed clear evidence of cutting and carving on these two objects, strongly indicating that early humans intentionally shaped them.”
A multifunctional digging stick (top) and small wooden tools (bottom) from the Marathusa 1 site in Greece. Image credit: D. Michailidis / N. Thompson / K. Harvati.
Additionally, researchers found a large fragment of an alder trunk exhibiting deep carved stripes, interpreted as fossilized claw marks from a large carnivore. This suggests potential competition between early humans and carnivores at this site.
Evidence of cuts and damage on the elephant remains indicate that early hominins had access to the carcass, while gnawing marks reveal subsequent carnivorous activity.
Dr. Milks added, “Previous discoveries of ancient wooden tools have occurred in countries such as Britain, Zambia, Germany, and China, comprising weapons, digging sticks, and tool handles.” However, she noted that these finds date newer than the Marathusa 1 artifacts.
“The only evidence of ancient wood used by humans, dating to around 476,000 years ago, comes from the Kalambo Falls site in Zambia, where the wood served as structural material rather than tools.”
“We have now identified the oldest known wooden tools and the first of their kind from southeastern Europe,” emphasized Professor Herberty.
“This discovery highlights the exceptional conservation conditions at the Marathusa 1 site.”
“The concurrent evidence of human activity and large carnivores in the vicinity of the butchered elephant indicates a competitive dynamic between them.”
Details of these findings are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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A. Chemilux et al. 2026. The earliest evidence of human use of wooden hand tools, discovered at Marathusa 1 (Greece). PNAS 123 (6): e2515479123; doi: 10.1073/pnas.25154791
Source: www.sci.news
