Ancient Workshop in Senegal Unearths Secrets of West Africa’s first Toolmakers
A remarkable archaeological finding in Senegal is rewriting our understanding of early human ingenuity in West Africa. Researchers from the University of Geneva have uncovered a 9,000-year-old workshop, a concentrated area of activity revealing the surprisingly sophisticated technical skills of the region’s last hunter-gatherer communities. The site isn’t about grand monuments; its about the meticulous, everyday work of crafting the tools that sustained life millennia ago.
Located in the Falémé valley, the “Ravin blanc X” site, first identified in 2017, is deceptively small – just 25 square meters. However, its density of artifacts makes it exceptionally valuable. “We found evidence of what appears too have been a living space directly associated with a considerable accumulation of quartz flakes,” explains Charlotte Pruvost, a doctoral student at the University of Geneva and lead author of the study published in PLOS One. Crucially, the team found primarily waste material – the byproducts of tool creation – suggesting that the finished tools were regularly transported away by nomadic groups.
The Dawn of Serial Production
The real breakthrough came with the detailed analysis of these discarded quartz flakes. Researchers identified the production of microliths – incredibly small, precisely crafted stone tools designed to be attached to spears, arrows, or other projectiles. these weren’t just any tools; they were components of a hunting arsenal.
“Microliths from this period are found across West Africa,” notes Pruvost, “but the engaging thing is that the techniques used to create them differed depending on the environment – whether it was forest or savannah. This suggests a localized adaptation of skills, but also a broader, shared understanding of the technology.”
What sets Ravin Blanc X apart is the evidence it provides for a purposeful effort towards standardization and, remarkably, what appears to be early serial production. This wasn’t simply about making tools as needed; it was about creating a consistent supply of interchangeable parts.This represents a significant cognitive leap for the time, indicating a level of planning and institution previously unexpected in West African hunter-gatherer societies.
Anne Mayor, director of the Arcan laboratory at the University of Geneva, emphasizes the importance of understanding the environmental context. “reconstructing the environmental changes that occurred during this period is absolutely vital to understanding how these human groups lived and the technical choices they made. The landscape shaped their tools, and their tools, in turn, allowed them to thrive within that landscape.”
This discovery isn’t just about ancient tools; it’s about ancient minds. It offers a compelling glimpse into the resourcefulness and adaptability of our ancestors, and challenges us to reconsider the narrative of technological development in Africa.
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Radio subject: Sarah Dirren
Adaptation web : Laure Pagella