Archaeologists have recently unearthed stone tools in Greece that have pushed back the origins of Greek archaeology by 250,000 years. The discovery was made in the region of Attica, near Athens, and has provided new insights into the early human history of the area.
The tools, which were found in a layer of sediment dating back to 700,000 years ago, were made from quartzite and were likely used for cutting and scraping. The discovery is significant because it suggests that early humans were present in Greece much earlier than previously thought.
Before this discovery, the earliest evidence of human presence in Greece dated back to around 450,000 years ago. The new findings suggest that humans may have been living in the area for much longer than previously believed, and may have played a role in shaping the region’s early history.
The discovery was made by a team of archaeologists led by Dr. Katerina Harvati of the University of Tübingen in Germany. The team used a combination of excavation and geological analysis to determine the age of the sediment layer containing the tools.
According to Dr. Harvati, the discovery is “a game-changer” for our understanding of early human history in Greece. She notes that the tools are similar to those found in other parts of Europe, suggesting that early humans were able to migrate across the continent much earlier than previously thought.
The discovery also sheds light on the environmental conditions that early humans would have faced in Greece. At the time the tools were made, the region was much wetter and cooler than it is today, with forests and grasslands covering much of the landscape.
Overall, the discovery of these stone tools is an exciting development for archaeologists studying the early history of Greece. It provides new insights into the lives of early humans in the region, and suggests that there is still much to learn about our ancient ancestors. As more discoveries are made, we may be able to piece together a more complete picture of the early human history of Greece and the wider Mediterranean region.
