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Scientists have discovered two wooden tools on a lakeside in Greece that are estimated to be nearly half a million years old, and are among the oldest wooden tools ever found.
One is a slender stick about two and a half feet long, which may have been used to dig in mud. The other is a small piece of yellowwood or poplar, which remains a mystery but may have been used to make stone tools.
Researchers believe ancient humans used a variety of tools made of stone, bone and wood, although evidence of wood is rare because it deteriorates quickly. Wooden tools are only preserved in special environments such as ice, caves or underwater.
The new tools, found in the Megalopolis Valley in Greece, are believed to have been quickly covered by soil and preserved by moisture for long periods. The site has been yielding other artifacts for years, including stone tools and elephant bones with cut marks.
One is a slender stick about two and a half feet long, which may have been used to dig in mud. The other is a small piece of yellowwood or poplar, which remains a mystery but may have been used to make stone tools.
Researchers believe ancient humans used a variety of tools made of stone, bone and wood, although evidence of wood is rare because it deteriorates quickly. Wooden tools are only preserved in special environments such as ice, caves or underwater.
The new tools, found in the Megalopolis Valley in Greece, are believed to have been quickly covered by soil and preserved by moisture for long periods. The site has been yielding other artifacts for years, including stone tools and elephant bones with cut marks.