'Canyon of other human beings' hides incredible civilization

Sophisticated tools, aged 1.2-1.85 million years, long before the advent of Homo sapiens, surprised archaeologists.

Another stone age, incredible progress has appeared in the history of his genus, since the Earth was dominated by extinct humans and it was far from our Homo sapiens footprints (Homo sapiens are only over 300,000 years old, new research from the University of Kent (UK) shows.

A team of scientists led by archaeologist Alsstair Key used modern techniques to assess the sharpness and durability of basalt, chert sedimentary and quartz samples collected from the peculiar gorge Olduvai. In Tanzania (East Africa), the "mecca" of other human species became extinct.

Olduvai Gorge - (photo: Shadows of Africa).

The specimens show that they are not only human tools, but also good enough and sophisticated as the tools that Homo sapiens we used in our Stone Age. Not only that, but the extinct people also select the type of stone suitable for the purpose of use: the finest quartz but less durable, can be used to cut the soft muscle tissue of animals, while basalt for the The dullest but most solid blade is used for movements that require strength but are less delicate.

A chert stone blade - (photo provided by the team).

The improvement of tools appears clearly: the people here have optimized the tools during the period of 1.85 to 1.2 million years, making them more and more convenient.

Another tool is being analyzed - (photo provided by the team).

The findings "show unprecedented complexity in the way raw material functions are considered, flexibly managed by many different species of humans," according to the authors' statement.

The research has just been published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

Olduvai gorge stretches to 48km, with steep terrain. It has revealed traces of many extinct species such as Homo habilis, Homo erectus, hominid paranthropus boisei, and later our ancestors Homo sapiens.