Research Shows That Early Humans Selected Stones for Tools

• Early humans were selective in choosing stones for tools.
• They planned long journeys over great distances to gather raw materials.
• Research indicates early examples of planning and resource utilization.

The research, published on September 15, 2025, indicates that early humans during the Paleolithic were more selective in choosing stones for tool-making than previously thought.

These early humans not only made tools but also had ideas about the distribution of raw materials, planning ahead for their utilization and undertaking long journeys over great distances.

Approximately 2.6 million years ago, these early humans developed methods for processing stones, which allowed them to obtain high-quality materials that could be used as blades for meat processing.

This enabled them to hunt large animals, such as hippopotamuses, which gathered around the banks of the ancient river at the archaeological site Nayanga in Kenya.

At this site, researchers discovered sturdy blades made from quartzite, a material that was found in riverbeds and other locations situated approximately 13 kilometers away.

The authors of the research noted that this indicates the presence of a "mental map" in humans for the distribution of resources in the locality.

Previously, it was thought that stones could only be found within a radius of about one mile from the river's edge. New research shows that these early humans were already thinking about the future, which is an early example of planning in archaeological records.

It is unclear to which group these first toolmakers belonged—whether to the genus Homo or related, but extinct, genera such as Paranthropus.

Modern humans Homo sapiens appeared significantly later, around 300,000 years ago. However, the ability to seek out the best raw materials for crafting simple technologies has existed for at least three million years.

Tags: Research