What is the oldest-known archaeological site in the world? Archaeology is the study of human artifacts, as opposed to paleontology, which is the study of bone fossils, so an archaeological site is one in which there is evidence of humans, or human ancestors, and also evidence of the objects they altered or used. There are two current candidates for the oldest archaeological site, both containing stone tools, both in Africa, both dating back long before Homo sapiens.
Lomekwi 3 in West Turkana, Kenya, has yielded stone tools estimated to be 3.3 million years old, used by Australopithecus afarensis. However, this find is relatively new, and there are arguments over the artifacts' exact age.
Gona in Afar, Ethiopia, has stone tools that are 2.6 million years old, made by Australopithecus garhi. The evidence there has held up under decades of academic scrutiny. Another archaeological site nearby has evidence of hominins from 2.8 million years ago.
Read up on the evidence found in both sites and the controversy over their dates at LiveScience. -via Strange Company
PS: In looking up the definition of archaeology, it appears there are some differences of opinion regarding the definition of "human." Some would call the study of artifacts in species before Homo sapiens paleoarchaeology. A layman might find this article helpful, or at least humorous.
#archaeology #artifacts