1.2 Million Year Old Obsidian Axe Factory Was Discovered In Ethiopia

[1srelluc]

An obsidian handaxe, made by an unknown hominid 1.2 million years ago.



It appears that an unidentified species of human has mastered obsidian, which was previously thought to have only been possible in the Stone Age.

Obsidian is without a doubt one of the most badass materials ever imagined, having been forged in magma and having the ability to produce the sharpest blades on Earth (there’s a reason George RR Martin chose it as the weapon of choice to kill White Walkers). It was believed that humans did not develop the ability to manipulate the extremely delicate and risky to work with jet-black volcanic glass until the late Stone Age.

A team of researchers has reported on the most recent discoveries made at the Melka Kunture archaeological site in Ethiopia, including the discovery of an obsidian handaxe workshop within a sediment layer that dates to 1.2 million years ago. This is the only handaxe factory ever dated to the Early Pleistocene, and it exhibits a startlingly early example of obsidian shaping.

The researchers note that “[archaeological] sites referred to as ‘knapping workshops’ are only documented in the second half of the Middle Pleistocene and only in Europe so far.” The most famous Stone Age axe factories, which were mainly found in France and the UK, were all involved in the production of flint blades.


An obsidian handaxe, made by an unknown hominid 1.2 million years ago. Image credit: Margherita MussiN
Obsidian is typically only used extensively after the Middle Stone Age, according to the study’s authors.

However, the team’s excavations uncovered a cache of 578 stone tools, all but three of which were carved from obsidian, in a prehistoric layer of sediment. In their report, they claim that “we demonstrate through statistical analysis that this was a focused activity, that very standardized handaxes were produced, and that this was a stone-tool workshop.”

While they don’t know which species of human crafted the tools, the researchers frequently remark that “the morphological standardization is remarkable” and that the person who did so diligently applied “secondary retouches” and was “highly focused on the final regularization of the artifacts.”

Obsidian is a delicate rock that requires considerably more finesse to knapp than flint or basalt, so attaining such homogeneity would have required highly honed skills and a fair amount of dexterity. The researchers write, “Therefore, manufacturers had to precisely assess the strength of the blow to avoid producing flakes of little use, or just to avoid smashing the core.”
A 1.2 Million Year Old Obsidian Axe Factory Was Discovered In Ethiopia

Whether it was done by some lying archaeologist recently or some ancestor a million years ago I can't say but the crazy thing is those flint and obsidian items can lay in the soil for eons and still do damage.

I used to pick them up for my Uncle when I found them and they can still draw blood if they poke through your pocket.

 

[johngaltshrugged]

I remember this one time when I was on an expedition north of the Wall with some buddies & we found a whole bag of that stuff on top of the Fist of the First Men.
We called it dragon glass though

 

[toobfreak]

1.2 Million Year Old Obsidian Axe Factory Was Discovered​

That places it at the earliest known dates for the formation of Homo, around the time of the discovery of fire and the known beginning of cooking. So very likely, tool making goes back a lot farther as even some apes have been seen using tools.

 

[luiza]

Lightning strikes can create Obsidian from a reaction with sand .

Possibly there are large reserves under what is now the Sahara which were used locally way before the rest of the planet became aware of sand reactions to make and work with glass and obsidian etc

 

[1srelluc]

That places it at the earliest known dates for the formation of Homo, around the time of the discovery of fire and the known beginning of cooking. So very likely, tool making goes back a lot farther as even some apes have been seen using tools.

LOL......By the looks of it they weren't fucking around when they made that one.

 

[toobfreak]

LOL......By the looks of it they weren't fucking around when they made that one.

Nope, they weren't. Some non-hominid animals have been spotted using tools, apes, chimps and gorillas use tools, even birds, cats and dogs have demonstrated some understanding of them. So have ants. So I expect axes were being made LONG before 1.2 million years ago, and were soon fashioned onto the ends of long sticks to make effective spears and things to keep away from big game while hunting them for food.

Even dinosaur raptors are known to use tools of a sort to first organize groups to surround and confuse prey to trap them, then use their built-in tools to kill.

Likely what drove early man to develop tools was his desire to emulate the claws, fangs and teeth of the predators around him to give them an equal edge.

The beginnings of technology.

Technology gave man the ability to survive and prosper. Now green climatologists are blaming technology for ruining the planet.

 

[1srelluc]

Nope, they weren't. Some non-hominid animals have been spotted using tools, apes, chimps and gorillas use tools, even birds, cats and dogs have demonstrated some understanding of them. So have ants. So I expect axes were being made LONG before 1.2 million years ago, and were soon fashioned onto the ends of long sticks to make effective spears and things to keep away from big game while hunting them for food.

Even dinosaur raptors are known to use tools of a sort to first organize groups to surround and confuse prey to trap them, then use their built-in tools to kill.

Likely what drove early man to develop tools was his desire to emulate the claws, fangs and teeth of the predators around him to give them an equal edge.

The beginnings of technology.

Technology gave man the ability to survive and prosper. Now green climatologists are blaming technology for ruining the planet.

Did the purpose built hand axe come before they added the stick or were they developed together......The world wonders.

 

[sparky]

We're truly an amnesic race.....~S~

 

[toobfreak]

Did the purpose built hand axe come before they added the stick or were they developed together......The world wonders.

No. Obsidian glass and similar rocks were found to have sharp edges and could cut, then they figured out how to make their own edges. Then they used them in combat to kill prey as hand tools but found it forced them to get too close that they were often hurt, killed and eaten, so then they figured out how to fashion them onto long sticks to hunt woolly mammoths and such from a distance. Then Neanderthal was replaced by Sapiens who developed them into throwing weapons for greater range and discreteness, and the rest is pretty evident.

 

[1srelluc]

No. Obsidian glass and similar rocks were found to have sharp edges and could cut, then they figured out how to make their own edges. Then they used them in combat to kill prey as hand tools but found it forced them to get too close that they were often hurt, killed and eaten, so then they figured out how to fashion them onto long sticks to hunt woolly mammoths and such from a distance. Then Neanderthal was replaced by Sapiens who developed them into throwing weapons for greater range and discreteness, and the rest is pretty evident.

I don't figure it took them too damn long.....Pretty much after their first wrestle with a cave bear or what-ever passed for it back then.

"Hey, did you see what happened to Nonk, we need to tie a stick on these damn things".

Would make for a good Far Side cartoon.

 

[airplanemechanic]

Biden said that his grandfather worked at that factory, was unionized as well.

 

[johngaltshrugged]

No. Obsidian glass and similar rocks were found to have sharp edges and could cut, then they figured out how to make their own edges. Then they used them in combat to kill prey as hand tools but found it forced them to get too close that they were often hurt, killed and eaten, so then they figured out how to fashion them onto long sticks to hunt woolly mammoths and such from a distance. Then Neanderthal was replaced by Sapiens who developed them into throwing weapons for greater range and discreteness, and the rest is pretty evident.

Exactly, the rest is well known history:
The Children of the Forest shoved a sliver into some dude's chest & made the Night King & the White Walkers.

I just watched a whole documentary on it. I don't recall the name but it was fascinating & well made.

Seriously though, I wouldn't ever want to face an atlatl with an obsidian tipped spear. Those suckers must've been brutal