In a remarkable discovery along the Kalambo River in Zambia, archaeologists have uncovered a wooden structure that challenges our understanding of early human behavior. This ancient find, a pair of interlocking logs, could date as far back as 476,000 years ago—long before Homo sapiens existed.
A Groundbreaking Discovery in Zambia
In 2019, an international team of archaeologists embarked on an excavation near Kalambo Falls, along Zambia’s Kalambo River. There, they unearthed two notched logs, preserved by the waterlogged environment, that could provide answers to questions about human ancestral behaviors. These logs, dating back 476,000 years, represent more than just pieces of ancient wood—they could be the oldest known wooden structure ever found.
The significance of this discovery, published in the journal Nature, has been profound. Archaeologists had speculated that early humans might have used wood, but the evidence was often elusive due to the rapid decomposition of organic materials over time.
“This is a disruptive discovery,” says Dr. Larry Barham, a co-author of the study and archaeologist at the University of Liverpool. “I never would have thought that pre-Homo sapiens would have had the capacity to plan something like this,” Barham told Scientific American.
Challenging the Timeline of Human Development
The discovery is challenging our understanding of early hominin capabilities. Prior to this, the oldest known wooden structures were believed to be only 9,000 years old, a relatively recent timeframe in human history. Yet, these logs predate the emergence of Homo sapiens by almost half a million years. The advanced planning and skill required to notch the logs into place, creating a structure with interlocking parts, points to a level of cognitive complexity previously reserved for modern humans.
Annemieke Milks, an archaeologist at the University of Reading, believes this find provides valuable insight into the abilities of early humans.
“It’s an important window into what these humans were capable of,” Milks explained to AP.
She emphasizes the significance of this discovery in revealing just how complex and creative early human ancestors may have been, far earlier than we thought.
Wood and Water: Preservation Secrets
Wooden artifacts are notoriously difficult to preserve, especially in climates where they would naturally decompose. The fact that these ancient logs survived for hundreds of thousands of years is largely due to the unique environmental conditions of the Kalambo Falls site. Waterlogged sites, like the one where the logs were found, provide an unusual form of preservation. The moisture and minerals in the sediment around the logs appear to have created a protective environment, allowing these otherwise fragile materials to endure.
In fact, the discovery of the interlocking logs raises the possibility that early humans might have been more reliant on wood than previously acknowledged.
“I think most early human groups would have been using wood in some form,” Milks reflected in her conversation with The New York Times. “We just don’t see it.”
Had wood artifacts been preserved as effectively as stone or bone, it is likely that we would have learned much more about prehistoric societies’ daily life and technologies.
What Were These Logs Used For?
Though the logs’ exact purpose remains speculative, one plausible theory is that they may have been part of a platform used for fishing or other activities that required a raised surface. Barham theorizes that the logs could have been intended for creating a platform above the muddy ground, which would have been particularly useful in a watery environment like the one near Kalambo Falls.
In the context of the site, the discovery of other wooden objects, such as sharpened sticks and wedges, further supports the idea that these ancient humans were employing wood for more than just basic shelter. The complexity of the notched logs suggests that these early hominins were planning and building structures, not merely using wood as a tool for foraging or hunting.
A New Era of Archaeological Discovery
What makes this find even more remarkable is its potential to alter our understanding of prehistoric tool use and construction. Most early wooden structures decompose quickly, and even those made of stone or bone leave behind limited evidence. As a result, archaeologists have long struggled to understand the role of wood in ancient human life. But this discovery, along with similar finds at Kalambo Falls, paints a more complex picture of early hominin capabilities.
This is a pivotal moment for researchers interested in human evolution. As Barham notes, the discovery is “disruptive” not only because it changes our understanding of pre-Homo sapiens behavior, but also because it forces a reevaluation of what early humans were capable of. It is no longer enough to simply imagine these ancestors as primitive creatures—they were builders, planners, and sophisticated thinkers.
It’s literally just two logs. People will get funding for anything nowadays.
Yet this discovery is not common knowledge amongst natives in Zambia