Uncovered Ochre Tools Showcase Early Human Innovation in Technical Craftsmanship
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A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has revealed that early modern humans, around 90,000 to 70,000 years ago, used ochre as a specialized tool for stone toolmaking at Blombos Cave in South Africa.
New evidence from Blombos Cave shows that ochre was not just used for symbolic purposes but also played a functional role in the stone toolmaking processes. Engraved ochre fragments, dated to approximately 73,000 years ago, suggest that ochre was deliberately processed and applied, indicating a sophisticated use beyond mere decoration or symbolic expression.
This discovery supports the idea that ochre played a role in the production or maintenance of stone tools, possibly as an adhesive or to improve the sharpness or durability of tool edges. The Blombos findings also include the earliest recorded human-made drawings on ochre pieces, underlining ochre’s central role in the cultural and technological behaviours of early Homo sapiens.
The research context suggests that these innovations, including the symbolic use of ochre and advances in stone tool production, occurred during a period of climatic variability. This may have created both challenges and opportunities, pushing early humans towards technological and cultural adaptations.
In summary, early humans at Blombos Cave used ochre not only for symbolic engraving but also in practical stone toolmaking tasks. Ochre fragments with intentional engravings and traces suggest its application in improving or decorating tools around 73,000 years ago. This dual role of ochre reflects complex cognitive and cultural behaviours intertwined with environmental adaptations during the Middle Stone Age in southern Africa.
Ochre was used for technical purposes, indicating a level of cognitive complexity in early periods that had not been recognized before. Francesco d'Errico, a member of the research team, suggests that sophisticated pressure flaking tools were the personal property of expert toolmakers. These ochre tools were likely used to refine Still Bay points, which are some of the most advanced stone tools from the MSA.
The ochre retouchers found at Blombos Cave were used in the lithic retouching process, a sophisticated technique requiring precision and expertise. The discovery of ochre pieces as tools used in lithic retouching was made when the team reexamined previously excavated artifacts from Blombos Cave. The ochre retouchers found at Blombos Cave were used to produce some of the most sophisticated lithic artifacts of the African Middle Stone Age.
The use of ochre by early humans challenges long-standing perceptions of ochre as a material limited to symbolic or decorative use. These ochre tools were integral to creating bifacial tools, such as the Still Bay points, known for their symmetrical shape and advanced flaking techniques.
Elizabeth Velliky, the lead researcher, believes this discovery could change how we view ochre and the past, and deepen our understanding of early human behaviour. Ochre tools may have functioned not only as practical instruments but also as indicators of identity and technical prowess within early human societies.
The discovery of these specialized ochre tools brings us closer to understanding the behavioural modernity of early Homo sapiens. Ochre was not only used as a pigment but also played an essential role in the daily lives of early modern humans, as suggested by the study.
The findings suggest that early Homo sapiens were far more capable than previously assumed, demonstrating a higher degree of technological sophistication than previously attributed to the Middle Stone Age. The ochre pieces found at Blombos Cave were carefully modified for specific technological purposes, aligning with practices like pressure flaking and direct percussion.
The discovery raises important questions about the broader roles ochre played in early societies, including its potential role in developing personal identity and social roles within human communities. The presence of these specialized ochre tools suggests that early humans were engaging in highly deliberate and technically advanced behaviours.
The use of ochre allowed early humans to produce tools with greater efficiency and precision. The study, led by Elizabeth Velliky and her colleagues at SapienCE, offers new insights into Middle Stone Age (MSA) technology.
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