An artefact made from a mammoth tusk is the oldest known boomerang
Tamoo et al., 2025, Plos USA, CC-by 4.0
The oldest known boomerang in the world can be 22,000 years of age than previously thought, suggested that it was made at a time when the first people showed the artistry.
In 1985, archaeologists rejected a 72-centimeter – high ivory boomorang buried under six layers of sediment in Poland’s obłzowa cave. Later the sediment reveals revealing a Homo Sapiens The bone of the thumb bone, as well as antler tools, a bone of bone and pendants made from fox teeth. In 1990, radiocarbon suggested dating 31,000 years – but strange, the boomerang dated 18,000 years, several millennia of artefacts in higher layers.
Sahra Talamo At the University of Bologna in Italy suspected contamination. “Even a tracking amount of modern carbon – from glue products or care – can drop the RadioCarbon date by ten thousand years,” he said. Analysis of carbon-nitrogen ratios show signs of revised collagen, indicating that preserved samples are not enough quality for reliable radiocarbon date.
Dating contaminated boomerang can be worthless – and can be damaged the valuable artefact that is not necessary, as the tamoo. However, he and his companions were dated 13 near animal bones, also dated thumb bone and used statistical model to change timeline. Their results show that the entire layer of sediment – and therefore boomerang and thumb also – dates between 39,000 and 42,000 years ago.
“One way, it’s an advertisement in the museums when you find something unique, you don’t keep it in glue or other analysis of your analysis,” he said.
Her new age means the ivory boomera mainly the oldest known boomerang – made from wood in native Australians – for 30,000 years. Unlike the simpler sticks to throw, like a 300,000-year-old woods implemented found in Schöningen, Germany, boomerangs are curved and aerodynamically form, although they do not always return to the provider, says the Tamoo.
In fact, even if the ancient boomer is likely to fly, the size and design may be making it inevitable to return to the sender. However, it may serve as a symbol or ceremonial purpose, as the sum, based on decorative engravings, reddish pigmet and smooth pigmet and jointly crumpled with a circle of stones.
Finding the view of a view of the first people ‘cognitive capabilities in a eruption of the artistic expression occurring during the early Aurigacian period, which began about 40,000 years ago. At this time, symbolic artefacts such as Figurines in Mammoth IvoryArt art and aesthetically tools that first appear in Europe, say to Tamo.
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