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Achure’s Expert Toolmakers Choose Stones with Unmatched Precision

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Recent geochemical analysis of 780,000-year-old stone tools discovered in Israel provides insights into the sophisticated tool-making practices of Ashurian (or Acheulean) humans. These early humans strategically sought specific basalt sources, highlighting their advanced planning and in-depth understanding of their environment.

Basalt slabs from the Ashurian site of Gesher Benot Ya’akov, utilized for bifacial production, show evidence of off-site knapping. Image credit: Chuang Zhao.

Dr. Zahi Golan from the Israel Geological Survey emphasized, “Acquiring suitable raw materials was essential for prehistoric peoples, significantly impacting their tool-making processes.”

“The selection of raw materials offers a window into the behavioral aspects of prehistoric cultures, revealing their environmental knowledge, which has facilitated tool production for over three million years.”

Research indicates two significant trends during the Early and Early Middle Pleistocene: increasing variability in raw materials at more recent sites and the exploitation of nearby resources. These trends are evidenced by studies of Oldowan and Acheulean tools, suggesting that early hominins’ material preferences evolved over time.

In recent studies, archaeologists analyzed basalt artifacts from the Ashurian site of Gesher Benot Yaakov and a nearby basalt source to trace the origins of tools and understand how early humans navigated their changing landscape.

“Dating back approximately 780,000 years, this evidence highlights the repeated habitation by Atyur hominins along the banks of Paleo-Fura Lake,” the researchers noted.

“Excavations have revealed a wealth of archaeological finds, including stone tools crafted from flint, limestone, and basalt, alongside indications of fire use, plant exploitation, animal processing, and fish consumption.”

“Basalt played a crucial role as a raw material, particularly for producing large cutting tools such as axes and kitchen knives.”

“Prior studies suggest that tool manufacture involved a complex reduction process. Humans selected sizable basalt slabs, formed them into substantial cores, removed large flakes, and fashioned these into bifacial tools.”

“This intricate process demanded careful planning, technical skills, and a thorough understanding of basalt properties.”

Researchers conducted a chemical analysis of basalt artifacts from various archaeological layers, comparing them against samples from the surrounding geological basalt flows.

Additionally, they analyzed basalt from the Eshel Yaakov borehole at the Gesher Benot Yaakov site.

The findings reveal that many investigated basalt artifacts match sources located within approximately 1 km of the site, with some originating from basalt strata now buried beneath the surface.

By integrating geochemical fingerprinting with borehole data, scientists reconstructed parts of the ancient landscape that have since vanished.

This methodology enabled the identification of basalt flows once accessible to humans 780,000 years ago but now obscured by erosion or tectonic shifts.

“This is particularly significant as Gesher Benot Yaakov is situated in an area of active tectonic activity along the Dead Sea fault line,” researchers remarked.

“Erosion, sediment burial, and subsidence have continually transformed the local landscape.”

“Basalt flows that were once within reach of early humans may have become buried or eroded over time.”

The geochemical analysis also uncovered variations between tool types. While large cores are predominantly linked to local basalt sources, specific cleavers seemed to originate from sources not included in the analyzed samples.

“This indicates that early humans did not merely select available basalts but actively chose specific sources based on their technical requirements, including the size, shape, internal structure of the slabs, and their suitability for knife production,” the authors stated.

Differences in tool types were evident, with some knives sourced from distinct basalt deposits when compared to the dominant materials used for hand axes and large cores.

This finding is important, as previous research indicates that producing kitchen knives necessitates a high level of planning and technical skill.

This suggests that humans were selectively searching for basalts with specific characteristics optimal for certain tools.

The same selective material sourcing strategies appear across multiple archaeological layers, indicating a persistent technological tradition spanning thousands of years.

“These findings imply that Ature hominins at Gesher Benot Yaakov possessed extensive environmental knowledge that was preserved and transmitted through generations,” the researchers concluded.

Find their study published on May 14 in Scientific Reports.

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T. Golan et al. Geochemical basalt investigation sheds light on sourcing strategies at the Ashurian site of Gesher Benot Ya’akov, Dead Sea Transform, Israel. Scientific Reports published online on May 14, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-51905-0

Source: www.sci.news

How Neolithic People Transported Stonehenge’s Massive Altar Stones Across Britain

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Recent research conducted by archaeologists at Curtin University and Sheffield Hallam University indicates that Neolithic communities, rather than glaciers, were responsible for transporting Stonehenge’s iconic six-tonne sandstone Altar Stone from north-eastern Scotland to Salisbury Plain.

Stonehenge. Image credit: Sally Wilson.

Curtin University researcher Dr. Anthony Clarke stated, “Our findings indicate that transporting the Altar Stone involved meticulous planning over multiple stages.”

“Instead of being carried naturally by ice, our evidence points to a calculated movement across various challenging terrains.”

“Our simulations suggest that during the last Ice Age, while glaciers might have transported rocks to Dogger Bank in the North Sea, they did not reach southern England. Therefore, prehistoric people had to move the stones hundreds of kilometers manually.”

“This study reveals no feasible glacier route connecting the source area to Stonehenge, thus confirming the necessity of human transport.”

“This implies that the stones may have been transported in stages, potentially utilizing a combination of land and water transport methods.”

The research incorporated mineral dating, geological provenance analysis, and computer simulations of ancient ice sheet movements to understand how the Altar Stones came to rest on Salisbury Plain.

The team initially identified the stone source in north-eastern Scotland by analyzing its mineral composition and age.

They then modeled the behavior of ancient glaciers and found evidence suggesting that the ice may have carried the stones southeast to Dogger Bank, currently submerged in the North Sea.

From these findings, the research team proposed that prehistoric peoples may have retrieved the stone from Dogger Bank, transported it to Salisbury Plain, and ultimately integrated it into the construction of Stonehenge.

“This discovery highlights an impressive level of organization and collaboration among Neolithic communities,” Dr. Clarke remarked.

“Transporting large stones over extensive distances would have required intricate planning, coordination, and a profound understanding of the landscape, along with significant determination.”

“Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining geological analysis and computer modeling to address enduring questions about the construction of Stonehenge.”

“Future research intends to pinpoint the exact origin of the Altar Stone in north-eastern Scotland and further explore potential transport routes utilized by prehistoric peoples.”

The results will be published in today’s Quaternary Science Journal.

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Anthony JI Clarke et al. From the Highlands to the Henge: Elucidating the Source and Transport Routes of Stonehenge’s Altar Stones. Quaternary Science Journal, published online June 4, 2026. doi: 10.1002/jqs.70080

Source: www.sci.news

Unveiling the Mystery: Stonehenge’s Altar Stones Likely Not Transported by Glaciers

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Stonehenge Altar Stone

The 5-meter-long altar stone is mostly buried at the center of Stonehenge.

Laurence Berger/Getty Images

Recent research into Stonehenge’s enigmatic altar stone suggests it may have originated from northeast Scotland, possibly carried south by glaciers. However, scientists argue that it’s more plausible humans transported this six-tonne stone.

This striking 5-meter-long monolith has been situated at the heart of Stonehenge’s worked rock ring for around 4,500 years, partially buried beneath two other stones.

In a 2024 study, researcher Anthony Clark and his team from Curtin University in Perth determined that the altar stone’s origins lie in northeastern Scotland, based on detailed rock chemistry analysis.

Clark notes, “The altar stone is sandstone—like crushed grains of sand on a beach. We can fingerprint the age and chemical makeup of these particles and compare them to other rocks across the UK and Ireland.”

The chemical profiles revealed a match with rocks from the Orcadian Basin, confirming the altar stone must have traveled approximately 750 kilometers to reach Stonehenge in southern England.

Initially, Clark and his colleagues theorized that the altar stones were likely transported by boat. They also explored the possibility that glaciers may have facilitated this movement during the last ice age, reducing the distance for human transport.

Utilizing geological analysis and ancient ice flow modeling, they reconstructed glacier movements. Their findings indicated that while most ice flow from northeast Scotland headed north, some could have directed south, potentially delivering rocks to Dogger Bank. This land bridge connected Britain to mainland Europe until it was submerged beneath the North Sea about 8,000 years ago, long before Stonehenge’s construction began around 5,000 years ago.

If glaciers had indeed transported these altar stones to Dogger Bank, it could have significantly shortened the journey for humans.

However, the flooding of Dogger Bank makes this hypothesis increasingly complex. Given that other stones at Stonehenge weigh between 25 and 30 tons and were undoubtedly moved by humans over substantial distances, it’s likely they possessed the necessary skills and determination to relocate the altar stone as well.

Clark emphasizes, “The builders of Stonehenge were not rushed. Similar to the pyramids, this took years to accomplish; it didn’t need to be done within modern timescales.”

Ultimately, further sampling may help pinpoint the exact quarry from where the altar stone originated. However, the reasons behind this monumental endeavor may forever remain a mystery. “Why would we select certain stones for monuments?” Clark poses, drawing parallels to choosing premium materials for modern kitchens or treasured pieces of jewelry. “Humans have always been drawn to specific stones, and for some reason, these ancient Britons required sandstone from northeastern Scotland.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Neolithic Cow Teeth Provide Evidence for the Welsh Origins of Stonehenge Stones

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Researchers from University College London and other institutions have analyzed the molars of female Boss Torus (cattle) discovered at Stonehenge.

Stonehenge. Image credit: Regina Wolf.

In 1924, archaeologists restored the jawbone of an elderly cow found at the base of the groove surrounding Stonehenge Stage 1, constructed between 2995 and 2900 BC.

Professor Michael Parker Pearson from University College London and his team dated the find between 3350 and 2920 BC through isotopic analysis of a tooth, suggesting its origins in Wales.

“This offers even more intriguing evidence of Stonehenge’s connection to Southwest Wales, the source of Bluestone,” noted Professor Parker Pearson.

“It heightens the likelihood that these cows assisted in transporting the stones.”

Researchers recorded chemical signals from the second year of the animal’s life and sectioned its third molar into nine horizontal slices.

This enabled them to measure isotopes of carbon, oxygen, strontium, and lead, each shedding light on the cow’s diet, environment, and movements.

The varying concentrations and types found in the teeth offered insights into the cattle’s lifestyle.

Oxygen isotopes indicated that the teeth recorded about six months of growth spanning winter to summer, while carbon isotopes revealed seasonal dietary changes: forest feed in winter and pasture in summer.

Moreover, strontium isotopes suggested that these seasonal food sources came from different geological regions, implying that the cattle may have moved seasonally or that winter feed was transported.

Lead isotopes indicated a spike in composition between late winter and spring, suggesting older lead sources than the other dental leads.

The findings imply that the cattle originated from much older Paleozoic rock formations in the Pleshri hills of Pembrokeshire, Wales.

“This research revealed six months of unprecedented details about the life of this cow, presenting the first evidence of cattle movements from Wales and documenting dietary shifts and life events from around 5,000 years ago,” remarked Professor Jane Evans, an archaeologist at the National Environmental Isotope Facility at the British Geological Survey.

“One slice of cow tooth has conveyed an extraordinary narrative. I am hopeful that more revelations will emerge from her extensive journey as new scientific tools become available.”

Additionally, scientists concluded that unusual lead signals could not be attributed solely to local contamination or movement.

Rather, this lead, retained in the cow’s bones, was regenerating during the stress of pregnancy.

If accurate, this indicates that the cow was female during the formation of the teeth and was either pregnant or breastfeeding.

To validate this hypothesis, the authors employed peptide-based sex determination techniques, suggesting that the animal was likely a female.

“This study offers significant new insights into the life history of this enigmatic cow, whose remains were deposited at such a pivotal location at the entrance to Stonehenge,” said Professor Richard Majwick of Cardiff University.

“It provides unparalleled details regarding the animal’s distant origins and the arduous journey it undertook.”

“Often, grand narratives dominate research on major archaeological sites, but this detailed biographical examination of individual animals brings a fresh perspective to Stonehenge’s story.”

The team’s findings were published on June 17th, 2025, in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

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J. Evans et al. 2025 Boss Torus Evaluating the comparative sources and uptake times of teeth, strontium and lead from Stonehenge. Journal of Archaeological Science 180:106269; doi:10.1016/j.jas.2025.106269

Source: www.sci.news

Rescue of 2,600-Year-Old Stones Unearthed from Ancient Nineveh

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The preservation of ancient stones is illustrated in the context of Ashurbanipal. A team of archaeologists from the University of Heidelberg has discovered depictions of two gods and other figures representing the rulers of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, spanning from 699 to 631 BC.

A fragment of a 2,600-year-old stone relief from the archaeological site of Nineveh. Image credit: Aaron Schmidt.

Two artifacts, dating back 2,600 years, were unearthed at the archaeological site of Nineveh, located in modern-day Mosul, northern Iraq.

Nineveh served as the capital and largest city of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and for almost 50 years, it was the largest city in the world.

“The ancient city of Nineveh is recognized as one of the most significant cities in North Mesopotamia. King Sennacherib established it as the capital of the Assyrian Empire in the 8th century BC,” stated Professor Aaron Schmidt from the University of Heidelberg and his team.

The recently unearthed relief from the throne room of King Ashurbanipal’s North Palace stands out not only for its dimensions but also for the intricate scenes it portrays.

This enormous stone slab measures 5.5 m (18 feet) long and 3 m (10 feet) tall, weighing approximately 12 tons.

3D model of stone relief from the archaeological site of Nineveh: dark gray marks the fragments, while light gray areas indicate reconstructions based on findings. King Ashurbanipal is depicted in the center, flanked by the god Ashur (left) and the guardian goddess of Nineveh (right), followed by fish spirits and skilled attendants. Image credit: Michael Rummel.

“Among the various reliefs found in the Assyrian palace, this is the first to prominently feature the major gods,” commented Professor Schmidt.

“At the center of the newly uncovered relief is King Ashurbanipal, the last major ruler of the Assyrian Empire.”

“He is positioned next to the two greatest deities: Assur and Ishtar, along with the guardian goddess of Nineveh.”

“Surrounding them are fish spirits, symbolizing divine life and sovereignty, as well as armed supporters, potentially depicted as scorpions.”

“The evidence implies that a large winged solar disk may have originally adorned the relief.”

Researchers will continue to analyze the depictions meticulously and aim to publish their findings in an academic journal.

“This relief was originally located in a niche opposite the front entrance of the throne room, indicating its significance within the palace,” Professor Schmidt elaborated.

“We discovered a fragment of the relief in an earth-filled hole behind this niche.”

“It’s possible it was buried during the Hellenistic period around the 3rd or 2nd century BC.”

The burial of these fragments is likely one reason why British archaeologists failed to locate them over a century ago.

Source: www.sci.news

Possible Title: Potential Evidence of ‘Sun Stones’ Used by Ancient Societies to Combat Volcanic Winters

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A stone tablet with a sun motif discovered on the Danish island of Bornholm

Antiquity Publications/John Lee, National Museum of Denmark

Hundreds of mysterious carved “sun stones” excavated in Denmark may have been ritually buried after the sun disappeared in a volcanic eruption around 2900 BC.

A total of 614 stone tablets and fragments inscribed with decorative motifs of the sun and plants have been unearthed in recent years. Basagard West Ruins Located on the island of Bornholm in Denmark. They were discovered in geological formations dating back some 4,900 years, when Neolithic people were farming the region and building enclosures surrounded by earthworks of banks and ditches.

Most of the carved sun stones were found in ditches around these enclosures, which were covered with cobblestones containing pottery shards and other items. This pottery is typical of the Late Funnel Beaker culture, which existed in the area from about 2900 to 2800 BC.

It was originally proposed that the stone carving of the sun was buried to ensure a good harvest. They say the sun was central to early Nordic agricultural culture. Rune Iversen at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

“But why did they store all these images at the same time?” Iversen asks. “The last thing they basically did here was deposit these sun stones and cover them with animal bone fragments and all kinds of artifacts and stuff like that. And then it went from trench to trench. You can see it being repeated. So it's some kind of action or event.”

Now he and his colleagues have found the answer. They looked at data from ice cores taken in Greenland and Antarctica and found that high concentrations of sulfate were deposited in the years following volcanic eruptions around 2900 BC.

Researchers say the relative proportions of sulfate deposition in Greenland and Antarctica suggest the eruption was somewhere close to the equator, and its effects appear to have spread over a vast area. . Ash clouds may have blocked out the sun and cooled temperatures for years.

A severe cold period around 2900 B.C. is supported by sources such as preserved wood rings from the Main River Valley in Germany and long-lived rock pine tree rings from the western United States.

This eruption would have had a devastating impact on the Neolithic peoples of northern Europe. “If we don’t have a harvest and the crop is not accepted, we won’t be able to sow anything next year,” Iversen says. “They must have felt quite punished at the time, because endless catastrophe was just going to befall them.”

He and his colleagues say burying the sculptures may have been an attempt to bring back the sun, or a celebration after the skies finally cleared.

say “that's a good explanation” jens winter johansen At the Roskilde Museum in Denmark. “There is no doubt that our staunchly agricultural society must trust the sun.”

Lars Larsson Researchers from Sweden's Lund University asked why, if climate impacts are widespread, evidence of such behavior is only found on Bornholm and not elsewhere in southern Scandinavia. Ta.

That may be because the people there had an abundance of slate, a hard stone with which to carve statues of the sun, whereas much of the rest of southern Scandinavia is mostly clay and has fewer stones suitable for carving. The body, Iversen says. “They may have carved wood or leather from other locations,” he says, but these would not normally have been preserved.

Or it may reflect cultural differences, Johansen says. “These societies are not isolated, but they are more isolated on the islands. That may be why they developed their own customs and culture.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Archaeologists confirm Stonehenge altar stones originated from Scotland

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A new study led by archaeologists from Curtin University suggests that Stonehenge’s iconic circle of stones – the Altar Stone, a six-tonne sandstone megalith – was discovered at least 750 kilometres from its current location.

Stonehenge. Image by Regina Wolfs.

Stonehenge, a Neolithic standing stone monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, provides invaluable information about prehistoric Britain.

Construction of Stonehenge began around 3000 BC and was modified over the next 2000 years.

The megaliths at Stonehenge are divided into two main categories: sarsens and bluestones.

The larger sarsens consist mainly of duriclast silicrite, taken from Marlborough’s West Woods, about 25km north of Stonehenge.

Bluestone is a general term for a variety of locally uncommon rocks, including volcanic tuff, rhyolite, dolerite, and sandstone.

Stonehenge’s central megalith, the Altar Stone, is the largest of the bluestones, measuring 4.9 x 1 x 0.5 metres, lying stone, weighing 6 tonnes, and is composed of a pale green mica sandstone with a distinctive mineral composition.

In the new study, Curtin University PhD student Anthony Clark and his colleagues studied the age and chemical composition of mineral grains within the altar stone fragments.

“Analysis of the age and chemical composition of the minerals in the altar stone fragments showed that they matched rocks from north-east Scotland, but were clearly different to the bedrock in Wales,” Mr Clarke said.

“We found that certain mineral grains in the altar stones are mostly between 1 and 2 billion years old, while other minerals date back to around 450 million years ago.”

“This provides a clear chemical fingerprint suggesting that the stone came from rocks in Scotland’s Auckland Basin, at least 750km from Stonehenge.”

“Given the constraints of Neolithic technology and its Scottish origin, this discovery raises intriguing questions about how such large stones could have been transported long distances around 2600 BC.”

Stonehenge layout and view of the Altar Stone. Image courtesy of Clark. others., doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07652-1.

“This discovery has important implications for our understanding of ancient communities, their connections and transportation,” Professor Chris Kirkland, from Curtin University, said.

“Our discovery of the altar stone’s origins highlights the importance of social co-operation in the Neolithic period and helps to paint a fascinating picture of prehistoric Britain.”

“Transporting such a large amount of cargo over land from Scotland to southern England would have been extremely difficult, so it is more likely that it was transported by sea along the English coast.”

“This suggests the existence of longer-distance trade networks and more advanced social organisation than is widely understood to have existed in the Neolithic in Britain.”

“We have succeeded in determining the age and chemical signature of perhaps one of the most famous stones from any world-famous ancient site,” said Professor Richard Bevins, from Aberystwyth University.

“We can now say that this iconic rock is Scottish rather than Welsh, but further research is needed to establish exactly where in the north-east of Scotland the Altar Stone came from.”

“The discovery is truly shocking, but if plate tectonics and atomic physics are correct, the altar stone is Scottish,” said Dr Robert Iksar, from University College London.

“This work raises two important questions: why and how was the altar stone transported from the far north of Scotland, over 70 kilometres away, to Stonehenge?”

of Survey results Published in the journal Nature.

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AJI Clark others2024. The altar stone of Stonehenge originates from Scotland. Nature 632, 570-575;doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07652-1

Source: www.sci.news

The altar stones from Stonehenge were carried to Scotland for transportation.

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The Altar Stone is located within the two large stone rings of Stonehenge.

Gavin Hellyer/Robert Suding/Getty Images

A study of the six-tonne altar stone at the heart of Stonehenge has revealed that it was almost certainly brought from northeast Scotland, much further away than any of the other stones in the megalithic structure.

“We were all in shock, we couldn't believe it,” the geologist said. Anthony Clark Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

It's unclear how the altar stone got from Scotland to southern England, but it was probably by sea, Clark said, because there is evidence people at the time traveled by sea.

Stonehenge is thought to have been begun about 5,100 years ago and constructed over a period of about 1,500 years. The outer circle is made of large stones called sarsens, weighing about 25 tons, while the inner circle and altar are made of small stones called bluestones, weighing about 3 tons. Bluestones are any rock that is not a sarsen. Bluestones are made of many different types of rock.

“What's unique about Stonehenge is the distance the stones were transported,” the geologist says. Richard Bevins Bevins, a researcher at Aberystwyth University in the UK, said most of the stone circles were made from rocks found within one kilometre of the site.

But the sarsens' source has been identified as West Woods in Wiltshire, about 15 miles (25 km) from the site, and Bevins' team has found that almost all of the bluestones came from the Preseli Hills in Wales, about 175 miles (280 km) away. One theory is that they were part of an even older Welsh stone monument that had been moved.

Stonehenge's Altar Stone is different to other bluestones: “By the end of 2021, we had concluded that the Altar Stone does not match any known geology in Wales,” team members said. Nick Piercealso at Aberystwyth University.

The five-metre-long stone is set into the ground with only one side exposed and partially covered by two other stones. It is thought to have been placed there around 4,500 years ago.

Stonehenge's altar stone (which is embedded beneath the other stones) was brought from north-east Scotland.

Nick Pearce, Aberystwyth University

Clark is currently analyzing samples of the altar stone using sophisticated equipment commonly used in the mining industry. The altar stone is made of sandstone, which means grains of rock that were deposited on the floor of an ancient sea eroded away and eventually stuck together to form new rock. The age of each grain varies depending on when the eroded rocks first formed, so each sandstone is a mix of grains of different ages.

Clark analyzed the zircon, apatite, and rutile crystals in the rock sample. These minerals contain uranium, which slowly decays into lead, so the ratio of uranium to lead can be used to determine the age of the rock. For example, the zircon in the rock is between 500 million and 3 billion years old.

The dating pattern indicates with more than 95 percent certainty that the altar stone is made from ancient red sandstone from the Auckland Basin in northeast Scotland, team members say. Chris Kirkland Located at Curtin University, the basin was once a huge ancient body of water called Lake Orcadie.

The nearest older red sandstone sites to Stonehenge are near Inverness, 750 kilometres (470 miles) away, and the furthest are in the Shetland Islands, up to 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) away, so the team believes the altar stone was probably transported by sea.

Glaciers can carry rocks long distances, and there's evidence that during the last ice age, ice in the Orkney region flowed north rather than south, Kirkland said.

So why was the altar stone transported so far? “That's a big question that's impossible to answer,” Clark says. “All we know is that it's a six-tonne rock that was transported from 750 kilometres away. That alone tells us an enormous amount about Neolithic societies and their connections.”

“What they did was pretty rigorous.” David Nash A team from the University of Brighton in the UK has pinpointed the exact source of Wiltshire sarsens: “This is really solid research.”

Nash said pinpointing the source of the altar stone more precisely would be difficult because the Orkney Basin spans a vast area and is up to five miles deep. “It's a huge task, because there's a huge amount of old red sandstone in the north of Scotland.”

In contrast, finding the exact source of the sarsens was easier because there were fewer possible sources, he said.

Genetic studies have shown that the people responsible for much of Stonehenge's construction were largely replaced by new waves of immigrants by about 4,000 years ago, likely after a major epidemic wiped out much of Europe's population.

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Source: www.newscientist.com