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Journalism of Courage
Early ancestors of humans intentionally turned limestone into “spheroids” more than 1.4 million years ago, finds a new study. While part of the mystery of the spheroids that perplexed archaeologists for years is now solved, we still don’t know why they were made.
For years, scientists have deliberated on how the spheroids were created—did our ancient ancestors deliberately work on them trying to create perfect spheres or are they just the byproduct of other work that could involve smashing stones together?
To find out, researchers used cutting-edge analysis techniques on 150 limestone spheroids from the Ubeidiya archaeological site that date back to around 1.4 million years ago. The researchers reconstructed the reduction of the spheroid based on the geometry of and the scar facets on the stones. The findings proved contrary to the notion that they were accidental by-products.
Instead of becoming smoother as they were being made, the scars were becoming more and more spherical. This is important because while it is possible for stones to become smoother naturally with erosion, like with pebbles, they rarely ever achieve an ideal spherical shape. This conversion towards an ideal spherical shape required shaping skills and a clear goal.
This discovery is important because it challenges existing notions of early hominins (our ancestors) and their relationship with technologies. Slightly older spheroids exist at sites in Africa and if the same intentionality can be demonstrated over there, it would represent the oldest evidence of hominings looking for and achieving symmetrical shapes in stone.
