British archaeologists from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University have discovered the oldest wooden structure in history. The log structure, which is at least 467 thousand years old, was located near Kalambo Falls in Zambia. The study was published in the journal Nature.
Expert analysis of stone tool marks on wood shows that ancient people cut and fixed two large logs to form the foundation of a platform or part of a dwelling.
This is the oldest evidence in the world of intentional log making and joining. Until now, evidence of the use of wood by Paleolithic people has been limited to the production of primitive tools for making fire and hunting and loosening the soil.
It is rare to find wood at such ancient sites as it often rots and disintegrates without leaving a trace, but at Kalambo Falls consistently high water levels have helped preserve the material.
This discovery challenges the common view that Stone Age people were nomads. Kalambo Falls provided water to the settlers, and the surrounding forest provided food and wood to build shelters.
“This discovery changed my understanding of our early ancestors. Look what these people did. They transformed their environment to make life easier for themselves; they built a platform where they could sit by the river and do their daily activities. These people were more like us than we thought,” said Larry Barham, professor of archeology.
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