The News from the Past
Scientists previously believed that early humans made stone tools no more than 20,000 years ago. However, new findings from Blombos Cave in southern Africa show that the stone-tool making method, called pressure flaking was invented as early as 75,000 years ago. That means that our ancestors were already in possession of tool making skills when they left Africa around 6,000 years ago. Pressure flaking was actually done by using a sharpen bone hard enough to remove tiny pieces of rock and it was so easy to learn that scientists it required only 30 minutes to be explained. It was used to sharpen the edges of an already finished tool. However, this finding is important because it proves that tool making skills were developed gradually over a long period of time. Blombos Cave also offered other artifacts such as decorated ostrich egg shells showing that early humans made items used for rituals as early as 75,000 years ago.