Ancient woodworkings found in Zambia suggest early humans built complex structures and were more settled than previously thought
The archaeological landscape is rarely static. Discoveries continuously shift our understanding of the past, forcing us to redraw the boundaries of what we thought was possible or likely. A recent find on ancient woodworkings at Kalambo Falls, Zambia, is a prime example – it introduces us to early hominin builders with unexpected skills, operating long before the rise of Homo sapiens. Kalambo falls The unique conditions at Kalambo Falls were instrumental in the extraordinary preservation of ancient woodworking artifacts. The site's lush vegetation, sustained by a reliable water source, provided the necessities of life, making it a consistently appealing location for various hominin species across vast stretches of time. This long-term occupation increased the likelihood of artifacts being left behind. Periodic flooding events deposited layers of sediment that protected these precious remnants from decay and the ravages of time. The layered deposits act as a natural time capsule. They enable scientists to create a chronological framework and associate artifacts with specific periods in prehistory. Ancient woodworking Two interlocking logs, each exceeding a meter in length, form the foundation of this study. These wooden artifacts offer a multitude of clues about our ancient ancestors. The wood used in the logs has been identified as bushwillow, a species common to the African savannah. This provides valuable information about the types of plants and resources that were accessible to hominins in the region. The logs exhibit clear signs of modification, including notching, tapered ends, scraping, and potential evidence of burning. These features suggest someone deliberately manipulated the wood using techniques rarely observed in artifacts from this early time period. The intentional notches on the logs indicate designers made them to assemble into a larger structure. This structure could have served as a platform, shelter, or another type of construction…