Early humans relied on simple stone tools for 300,000 years in a changing east African landscape

The age of the oldest known Oldowan stone tools from east Turkana has been pushed back by 700,000 years.

By: Niguss Gitaw Baraki, George Washington University; Dan V. Palcu Rolier; David R. Braun, George Washington University; Emmanuel K. Ndiema, National Museums of Kenya, and Rahab N. Kinyanjui, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 15, 2026

Words: 1,391

Last Updated: 2 months ago

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By Niguss Gitaw Baraki, George Washington University; Dan V. Palcu Rolier; David R. Braun, George Washington University; Emmanuel K. Ndiema, National Museums of Kenya, and Rahab N. Kinyanjui

Our prehistoric human ancestors relied on deliberately modified and sharpened stone tools as early as 3.3 million years ago. The selection of rock type depended on how easily the material could be flaked to the desired shape and form.

The resulting product proved invaluable for everyday tasks. …

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