Wooden Structure Dated 476,000 Years Old Uncovered in Zambia

(Minghui.org) A 476,000-year-old wooden structure was discovered by archaeologists in today’s Zambia. This is the earliest wooden artifact uncovered so far, according a paper published in Nature on September 20, 2023 titled “Evidence for the earliest structural use of wood at least 476,000 years ago.”

“The finds show an unexpected early diversity of forms and the capacity to shape tree trunks into large combined structures,” wrote the authors. “These new data not only extend the age range of woodworking in Africa but expand our understanding of the technical cognition of early hominins, forcing re-examination of the use of trees in the history of technology.”

These excavations occurred near Kalambo Falls, a single-drop waterfall of 235-meter (or 772 ft) high. Located on the border of Zambia and Tanzania, it is the second highest, uninterrupted falls in Africa. As described in the paper, “Waterlogged deposits at the archaeological site... preserved two interlocking logs joined transversely by an intentionally cut notch.”

Kalambo Falls on the border of Zambia and Tanzania

Archaeologists found a wooden structure dated 476,000 years old near Kalambo Falls.

According to the paper, the wood was shaped with tools and some wooden tools were also discovered in the excavations. These logs had been kept under water. The surrounding clay deposits provided an oxygen-free environment that prevented them from decaying. Researchers believed this wood could have been used to build elevated platforms, walkaways, or home foundations. 

Larry Barham, corresponding author and professor at the University of Liverpool, said the wooden structure could support a walkway or a platform in seasonal moisture. “It’s about keeping your feet dry, or keeping your food dry, or keeping your firewood dry,” he said.

Processing of logs requires considerable skill, the right tools, and planning. The work involved also suggested the workers had to stay at the site for a long time. 

“This find has changed how I think about our early ancestors,” he explained. “Forget the label ‘Stone Age,’ look at what these people were doing: they made something new, and large, from wood. They used their intelligence, imagination, and skills to create something they’d never seen before, something that had never previously existed.”

This is the earliest evidence of humans assembling wooden structures. Evidence found earlier than this is limited to wood being used for making fires, or making sticks or spears.