New archaeological findings in North Africa may

Scientists recently announced the discovery in Algeria with many animal and stone tools showing that not only East Africa, but all of Africa, is the cradle of humanity.

According to CNN, about 250 tools, placed next to 296 2.4 million-year-old animal skeleton excavated in Algeria, showed that the first people lived in North Africa about 600,000 years earlier than expected. of scientists on this area.

Earlier, the ancestors of humans, called "hominin" , are thought to have originated in East Africa and lived here for millions of years before moving to other parts of the continent.

However, the recent discovery "shows that our ancestors ventured to every corner of Africa, not just East Africa," said Mohamed Sahnouni, head of the archaeological project, in the statement. recently. "New evidence found in Algeria has changed the previous view, arguing that East Africa is the cradle of humanity. In fact, the whole of Africa is the cradle of humanity."

Scientists are surveying the archaeological site containing artifacts from the Stone Age.(Photo: York University).

Excavation was carried out at Ain Boucherit area near Setif city, about 300km east of Algiers, Algeria.

The artifacts found are similar to the "Oldowan" tool , previously excavated in the east and north of Africa. Researchers from Algeria, France, Spain and Australia participated in this 25-year archaeological project.

CNN quoted Isabel Cáceres, of IPHES Spanish archaeological organization, who participated in the project, saying: 'The effective use of sharp tools at Ain Boucherit shows that our ancestors are not just people Scavengers'.

"It is currently unknown whether they hunt or not, but clear evidence suggests that human ancestors in North Africa have successfully competed with other carnivores and have the right to touch them. first " , she added.

But East Africa is still considered the cradle of humanity, when the tools found previously in this area date to 2.6 million years. Archaeologists predict that there may still be many unearthed artifacts in Algeria, opening up new avenues in the search for human origins.

Some items made of shells found in Spain date to 115,000 to 120,000 years.(Photo: Nature).

" The Ain Boucherit area hides the" Oldowan "tool dating back 2.4 million years, while North Africa and the Sahara desert may also be the archives of many other archeological artifacts. Africa will detect "hominin" and "Oldowan" fossils dating back to 2.6 million years as in East Africa, " the authors wrote in the journal Science.

Although no fossil bones were found, animal tools and bones showed clear evidence of human activity in North Africa. Some cuts of animal bones also appeared, showing that our ancestors used tools to dissect them, according to scientists.

This finding could lead to a "multi-origin scenario" , with people making and using tools at different locations in Africa at the same time. In other words, "the production of stone tools quickly spread" in the early days of human existence, scientists said in the study.

Earlier this year, several stone tools dating back to 2.12 million years were also found in China. Archaeologists participating in the project in China said their findings showed that the ancestors of humans had left East Africa and traveled to what is now Asia.

If no artifacts are found in Algeria, the hypothesis may still be recognized. But this new finding opens up another story, that from birth, people not only move to the west but also to the east.