Stone Age may have lasted 20k years longer than earlier thought in parts of Africa: Study

The Stone Age period may have continued 20,000 years longer in some part of Africa than was previously thought, recent archaeological finds revealed. While Archeologists believe that human beings jilted primitive tools like scrapers 30,000 years ago, new discoveries have revealed that those in Africa continued to use them till 11,000 years ago. Now, this recent finding has put the chronology of human evolution into question leaving many arguing that humans evolved at different rates in different parts of the world.

Stone and later Ages

The distinction between the Stone Age and Middle Age is marked by a change in equipment used. While Homo Sapiens in the Stone Age used simple tools like scrapers and pointers, those in later age used advanced tools like spears and blades. But latest evidence reveals that ancient West African inhabitants were still using simple tools about 11,000 years ago - up to 20,000 years after they went out of favour elsewhere. 

Read: Video: 7000-years-old Charred Hazelnut Shell, Flint Tools From Stone Age Unearthed In UK

Read: Sweden: 8,400-yr-old Dog Who Was Buried With His Master Excavated From 'Hunter Stone Age'

This discovery comes in contrast to the theory that all humans evolved together and gives evidence that homo sapiens evolved in groups or clusters; not uniformly but at a different speed in different locations. In addendum, it also highlights that groups of humans were relatively isolated from each other throughout the development period.

_{These drawings show some of the tools in use 11,000 years ago in West Africa that had already gone out of use elsewhere. Cred: Jacopo Cerasoni}

Read: Stone Age Hunters Used Human Bone Spears, Arrowheads & Barbed Points As 'weaponry': Report

Meanwhile, new research published in the Journal of Archaeological Science Primitive men stated that from the stone age in northern Europe used human bones as the choice of their weaponry for hunting.The spear factors or arrowheads and barbed points retrieved by the scientists in the Netherlands that dated between 5300 and 7500 BC were designed mostly with the human bone due to the ‘symbolic significance’. The primitive hunters wanted to channel the characteristic traits and expertise from the weaponry bone of the skilled hunter or bones of the deer and antlers, which they believed would invoke gallantry in the hunter. 

Read: Sweden: 8,400-yr-old Dog Who Was Buried With His Master Excavated From 'Hunter Stone Age'