Early humans started to produce standardized bone tools 1.5 million years ago

For millions of years, early human ancestors relied on stone tools to shape their world. The discovery of a collection of 27 standardized bone tools dating back 1.5 million years challenges long-held assumptions about early human innovation.

Found at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, these tools suggest that hominins were capable of advanced reasoning far earlier than previously believed.

Archaeologists have long debated when early hominins began using bones not just for food but as tools. Previously, the oldest known systematic bone tool production dated back only 500,000 years. The recent discovery of bone tools from 1.5 million years ago pushes this timeline back by a million years.

Researchers from UCL and the CSIC-Spanish National Research Council analyzed the tools and found that early hominins shaped them using a technique called knapping. This method, typically associated with stone tools, involves chipping away small flakes to create sharp edges. The ability to transfer this technique from stone to bone marks a major cognitive leap in early human evolution.

Dr. Renata F. Peters from UCL Archaeology emphasized the importance of the discovery: “The tools show evidence that their creators carefully worked the bones, chipping off flakes to create useful shapes. This means early hominins were capable of transferring skills from one material to another, which suggests a level of complex thinking not seen for another million years.”

The Olduvai Gorge site has long been a treasure trove of archaeological discoveries. The newly unearthed bone tools come from a period when early humans were transitioning between the Oldowan and Acheulean stone tool traditions.

The Oldowan period, dating from 2.6 million to 1.5 million years ago, saw the creation of basic stone flakes used for cutting. The Acheulean period, which began around 1.7 million years ago, introduced more sophisticated hand axes.

This discovery suggests that as hominins refined their stone tool techniques, they also began using bones in similar ways. Until now, archaeologists believed that systematic bone tool production only emerged with the rise of modern humans around 90,000 years ago in Africa and 45,000 years ago in Eurasia. However, the tools from Olduvai Gorge reveal that early hominins had already begun innovating with different materials over a million years earlier.

Dr. Ignacio de la Torre of CSIC noted: “This discovery leads us to assume that early humans significantly expanded their technological options, which until then were limited to stone tools. It also suggests advances in cognitive abilities, as hominins adapted their knowledge of stone toolmaking to bone.”

Most of the 27 tools were shaped from the dense limb bones of large mammals, including elephants and hippos. The selection of these specific bones suggests that early hominins understood their durability and suitability for toolmaking. Unlike stone, which shatters upon impact, bone provides a flexible yet sturdy material for crafting specialized tools.

The discovery raises questions about what these tools were used for. Although their precise function remains unclear, researchers speculate that the sharp edges may have been used to process animal carcasses for food. The tools’ uniformity indicates that they were made with purpose, rather than being one-off, experimental artifacts.

Adding another layer of mystery, no hominin remains were found alongside the tools. While Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei were both present in the region at the time, it remains uncertain which species created them.

The emergence of systematic bone tool production suggests that early hominins possessed more advanced cognitive abilities than previously thought. The ability to recognize bone as a viable tool material, apply established stone-working techniques, and produce standardized tools all point to an early form of abstract reasoning.

For hundreds of thousands of years, early humans viewed animals primarily as food, predators, or competitors. However, the transition seen in the Acheulean period reveals a shift in perception—animals also became a source of raw materials for tools. This development likely played a role in shaping early human behavior and survival strategies.

“Our discovery indicates that early hominins developed an original cultural innovation that entailed transferring and adapting knapping skills from stone to bone,” said Dr. de la Torre. “This may have significantly influenced the evolution of cognition, artifact curation, and raw material procurement.”

Because these tools were such an unexpected find, researchers hope their discovery will prompt archaeologists to re-examine previously unearthed bone artifacts worldwide. Many bone fragments from early archaeological sites may have been overlooked or misclassified.

Experimental archaeology, in which scientists attempt to recreate ancient techniques, could provide further insights into how these tools were made and used. By replicating the knapping process on bone, researchers may uncover additional clues about the cognitive abilities and daily lives of early hominins.

The Olduvai Gorge discovery has rewritten the timeline of early technological innovation. It reveals that human ancestors were more inventive and resourceful than previously believed, capable of expanding their toolmaking abilities beyond stone much earlier than expected.

As further research unfolds, these findings may transform our understanding of early human evolution and the origins of technological ingenuity.

Published study findings are available in the journal Nature.

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