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The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map : Index >>
Stones Forum >> University archaeologists found 14,000-year-old knives while studying elephant ancestors
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University archaeologists found 14,000-year-old knives while studying elephant ancestors |
bat400
Joined:
10-04-2006
Messages: 1332
from South Central Indiana, US
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|  Posted 08-02-2013 at 14:08
Archaeologists and anthropologists excavating a site in the south of Chile have uncovered stones that are believed to have been used as tools by humans 14,000 years ago.
Scientists from Universidad Católica de Temuco and Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh) were able to determine these were tools because they exhibit the marking congruent with ancient knives and cutting utensils.
“There are rock detachments from a simple, intentional blow that demonstrate that they were doctored, and that means this is a product of a human being. It lets us postulate that cultural diversity was present in this epoch,” UACh archaeologist Efe Ximena Navarro told El Mostrador.
The discovery occurred near Osorno by accident while paleontologists were studying the fossilized remains of gomphotheres, ancestors of modern elephants presumed to have been hunted by human communities in the area.
The artifacts provide some of the oldest evidence of human existence in the Americas. Researchers note that this group would have been contemporary to the Monte Verde society found near Puerto Montt, also located in the south of Chile, where the continent’s most ancient archaeological deposit exists.
Unlike the more settled camp in Puerto Montt, this new site is believed to have been strictly used for scavenging. River stones have been found near the site that were most likely used for breaking apart endemic produce to consume with local game.
“This is a scavenging site, surely for the collection of fauna, and there exists the possibility that they picked fruits,” said Navarro.
Researchers will now use microscopes to perform further analysis of the new findings.
Thanks to coldrum for the link. For more, see http://www.santiagotimes.cl/chile/science-technology
[ This message was edited by: bat400 on 2013-02-08 14:09 ]
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