Small tools from Marathousa 1 reveal early technology

What is it about?

Lake shores in southern Greece, 430,000 years ago. At a site called Marathousa 1, pre-Neandertals left behind small stone flakes and the butchered remains of a giant elephant. These weren’t crude leftovers; they were clues. Our research explores how these artefacts were made and used. By combining archaeological findings with experiments, we discovered that these individuals adopted different techniques to produce sharp, efficient flakes from local stone. Some were struck by hand, others were placed on a surface and hit from above, each method carefully chosen. The findings show how early humans adapted their toolmaking to the tasks and materials at hand. Small in size but precisely made, these tools could take on intensive work like elephant butchery. This study offers a rare glimpse into the practical intelligence of our ancient ancestors, how they made the most of local resources to meet big challenges with simple but effective tools.

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Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Marathousa 1 is among the most ancient butchery sites known in southeastern Europe, offering rare direct evidence of early human activity. This study combines experimental archaeology with detailed technological analysis to explore how pre-Neandertals adopted flexible techniques to produce and use small stone tools, sharp and efficient enough to process an elephant carcass. It contributes new insights from a region where well-documented Lower Palaeolithic sites are still scarce, expanding our understanding of early technological adaptation.

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