Earliest Carpenters: 476,000-year-old log structure discovered in Zambia

The discovery of the world’s earliest known wooden architecture has greatly altered scholars’ understanding of the capabilities of our ancient ancestors. The structure, found in Zambia’s Kalambo River, consists of two interlocking logs joined by a deliberately cut notch. It is believed that this structure may have served as a walkway or foundation over wetlands. This finding is significant as it predates the oldest known surviving wooden structures in northern England by approximately 150,000 years. The structure is attributed to the archaic human species Homo heidelbergensis, suggesting a level of sophistication and attachment to a specific location that was previously unknown. Other tools, such as stone axes and wooden implements, were also unearthed at the site, providing further evidence of human activity and craftsmanship.

https://www.archaeology.org/issues/537-features/top10/11937-zambia-kalambo-river-earliest-woodworking

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