Archaeologists have found the first advanced stone tools made in Europe in Barranc de la Boella in Catalonia, Spain.
Made by hominins between 900,000 and 780,000 years ago, the advanced stone tools mark a milestone in evolutionary discoveries. This find bridges the time between when our ancient ancestors lived in Africa and their migration into the world abroad.
The unexpected discovery caught researchers from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA) by surprise, as the tools were made utilizing carving strategies to improve efficiency. The researchers also found that the ancient hominins residing in what is now Catalonia managed their resources well and even transported them effectively.
According to the study’s authors, the ancient hominin tools illustrated a higher level of expertise than Olduvian technology, placing them firmly in the more advanced next stage of Acheulean technology.
Some of the evidence backing the researchers’ findings is that the stone was worked off-site for more concentrated and advanced building techniques and a selection of desired materials based on purpose. They also devised more efficient transport to move the finished products to the sites where they would be needed.
“The Barranc de la Boella is a key witness of the first dispersions of Mode 2 (Acheulian) in Europe, marking a turning point in the technological history of the continent,” said Diego Lombao, the leader of the team of archaeologists who published the study.
Lombao and the team found that the ancient hominins built large pick-axes and regular axes, suggesting they were more advanced in their collection of resources and their strategic use.
The advanced stone tools found in Barranc de la Boella are not only proof of a significant leap in technology made in Europe but also prove there was a constant flow of hominins between Africa and Europe in that time period.
“The Barranc de la Boella is a key testimony that shows us that Europe was not an isolated stage, but a space of exchange and technological evolution in constant contact with Africa and the Near East, marking a turning point in the technological history of the continent,” said Lombao.
Lombao and the team referred to how the advanced stone tools found in Tarragona point to certain intelligent and strategic behaviors typically not found in ancient societies that utilized Olduvian technology.
“These behaviors represent a significant advancement compared to the technologies present in Europe at that time, known as Mode 1 or Oldowan. Among these advancements, the selection and preparation of raw materials stand out, with differential management of their resources,” said the team in the study.
