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Evidencia del uso estructural más antiguo de la madera hace al menos 476.000 años
L Barham1, G A T Duller2, I Candy3
1Department of Archaeology, Classics & Egyptology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. l.s.barham@liverpool.ac.uk.
Nature
|September 21, 2023
Resumen
Los arqueólogos descubrieron la evidencia más antigua del uso estructural de la madera por los homínidos en Kalambo Falls, Zambia. Este hallazgo de 476.000 años de antigüedad revela el complejo trabajo de la madera y las habilidades cognitivas de los primeros homínidos.
Área de la Ciencia:
- Arqueología
- Paleoantropología
- Ciencias de los materiales
Sus antecedentes:
- Los artefactos de madera son raros en el registro arqueológico debido a las malas condiciones de preservación.
- Existen pruebas limitadas sobre el uso temprano y las capacidades tecnológicas de los homínidos con la madera.
Objetivo del estudio:
- Para reportar la evidencia más antigua del uso estructural de la madera por los homínidos.
- Investigar las técnicas de carpintería y las habilidades cognitivas de los primeros homínidos.
Principales métodos:
- Datación por luminiscencia de depósitos anegados en las cataratas de Kalambo, Zambia.
- Análisis de artefactos de madera conservados, incluidos troncos y herramientas entrelazados.
Principales resultados:
- Descubrimiento de troncos entrelazados con una muesca deliberadamente cortada, fechada hace al menos 476.000 años.
- Identificación de cuatro herramientas de madera (cuña, palo de excavación, tronco cortado, rama con muescas) que datan de hace 390.000 a 324.000 años.
- Pruebas de trabajos complejos en madera y construcción estructural anteriores a ejemplos conocidos anteriormente.
Conclusiones:
- Los hallazgos representan la evidencia más antigua del uso estructural de la madera en el registro arqueológico.
- Los primeros homínidos poseían conocimientos técnicos avanzados y diversas habilidades de carpintería.
- Este descubrimiento requiere una reevaluación del papel de los árboles en la historia tecnológica humana temprana.
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