Ancient tools in China reshape views on human history
Archaeologists have discovered stone tools from the Middle Paleolithic era in China, challenging the current understanding of human history.
Archaeologists in southwestern China have discovered stone tools dated 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. This is the first such find in East Asia, which challenges the theory that the skill of crafting useful items from stone was confined to Europe and Western Asia. The age of the artifacts was determined using innovative optical dating techniques.
A new perspective on history
The discovery suggests that advanced technology for creating stone tools existed in East Asia, similar to that known from Europe. The tools were made in a style called Quina, which is attributed to Neanderthals. This indicates similarities in human behaviour across different regions.
Among the items discovered were scrapers, stone points, and tools resembling saws. Pollen analysis from Longtan showed that the climate at that time was comparable to Europe's, which could have facilitated similar technologies.
Who created these tools?
There are two theories regarding the creators of the tools. One theory suggests the migration of Neanderthals eastward, while the other proposes that another human species might have independently developed similar technology. The discovery opens new research paths regarding migration and technological evolution in Asia.
Research indicates that Neanderthals lived from around 400,000 to 24,500 years ago. They are considered—depending on the researcher—as either a subspecies of Homo sapiens—Homo sapiens neanderthalensis—or a separate species—Homo neanderthalensis. Their remains have been found in Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Israel, Iraq, Portugal, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Professor Bo Li from the University of Wollongong emphasizes that the discovery forces a reconsideration of human migration models and technology development in East Asia. This groundbreaking find may rewrite the prehistory of the region.
The discoveries have been detailed in the scientific journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences".
