Ancient Kenyan Site Rewrites Early Human History with 2.75-Million-Year-Old Tools
TURKANA BASIN, KENYA – A groundbreaking revelation in Kenya‘s Turkana Basin is pushing back the timeline of stone tool technology and revealing an unprecedented period of stability in early human craftsmanship. Researchers have unearthed 2.75-million-year-old Oldowan tools, and evidence suggests this technology persisted with remarkable consistency for at least 300,000 years – a testament to early knowledge transmission and adaptation. The findings,published in Nature Communications,challenge previous assumptions about the pace of technological evolution in our ancestors.
The Namorotukunan site, where the tools where found, provides a rare glimpse into the lives of hominins during a period of meaningful environmental change.Fossil bones discovered alongside the tools bear cut marks, indicating an increasing reliance on meat consumption as the landscape transitioned from wetlands to drier grasslands. This ability to efficiently process animal resources likely provided a crucial survival advantage. “Rather than passively reacting to environmental stress,these toolmakers took an active role,using technology to stabilize their way of life,” explained researchers in the published study.
The enduring nature of the Oldowan technology - characterized by simple core and flake tools – demonstrates a capacity for learning and cultural transmission previously underestimated in early hominins. This continuity implies that knowledge of toolmaking techniques was passed down through generations, representing one of the earliest known examples of technological continuity in the human record.
Researchers, led by David R. Braun and Denise V.Palcu Rolier, emphasize the link between culture, surroundings, and survival highlighted by the site. The discovery not only extends the known timeline of Oldowan toolmaking in East Africa but also underscores the fundamental role technology played in early human adaptation. “The continuity of Oldowan technology over 300,000 years speaks volumes about more than skill: it tells of a deep-rooted human propensity to preserve and improve on ideas that work,” the study authors noted.
More data: Braun, D.R., Palcu Rolier, D.V., advokaat, E.L. et al. (2025).Early Oldowan technology thrived during Pliocene environmental change in the Turkana Basin, Kenya. Nat Commun 16, 9401. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64244-x
