World’s Oldest Wooden Structure Was Built by an Unknown Species, Nearly 200,000 Years Before Modern Humans Evolved
30th April 2026
Nearly half a million years ago – far earlier than researchers once believed – early human ancestors were already building wooden structures.
A research team from the University of Liverpool and Aberystwyth University, reporting in Nature, excavated remarkably well-preserved wood at Kalambo Falls in Zambia.
The finds date to at least 476,000 years ago, long before modern humans, Homo sapiens, evolved.
Shortly after making this discovery, Professor Larry Barham from the University of Liverpool and his team identified a wedge, a digging stick, a log cut with the help of tools, and a branch with a deliberate notch.
Such woodworking extends far beyond what was once thought possible of early humans living so long ago. These artifacts were preserved thanks to the waterlogged conditions at Kalambo Falls.