http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-11/world’s-oldest-known-ground-edge-stone-axe-fragments-found/7401728

A fragment of the world’s oldest known ground-edge axe has been found in the remote Kimberley region of northern Australia.

The discovery pushes back the technological advance to between 45,000 to 49,000 years ago, and coincides with the arrival of people in Australia.

The fragment is 10,000 years older than the previous oldest known fragments found in northern Australia in 2010.

dv said:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-11/world’s-oldest-known-ground-edge-stone-axe-fragments-found/7401728

A fragment of the world’s oldest known ground-edge axe has been found in the remote Kimberley region of northern Australia.

The discovery pushes back the technological advance to between 45,000 to 49,000 years ago, and coincides with the arrival of people in Australia.

The fragment is 10,000 years older than the previous oldest known fragments found in northern Australia in 2010.

I read that and found it interesting, thanks.

:)

I imagine we will find that technology developed almost as soon as modern humans came onto the scene

Cymek said:

I imagine we will find that technology developed almost as soon as modern humans came onto the scene

Strange as it may seem, the technology could have been the first tech export from Australia.

I have in my possession a very early form of ground and polished edge tool, to my mind it could be proven to be older than even the fragment in discussion. Mainly because the tool is both pecked and ground. Also because all other versions of this tool are ground and polished all over. There have only ever been 20 others found and all are far younger than the one I have. They all came from rainforest areas and mine comes from Murrami.

roughbarked said:

Cymek said:

I imagine we will find that technology developed almost as soon as modern humans came onto the scene

Strange as it may seem, the technology could have been the first tech export from Australia.

I have in my possession a very early form of ground and polished edge tool, to my mind it could be proven to be older than even the fragment in discussion. Mainly because the tool is both pecked and ground. Also because all other versions of this tool are ground and polished all over. There have only ever been 20 others found and all are far younger than the one I have. They all came from rainforest areas and mine comes from Murrami.

I’ve spoken of the ooryurka before. I did contact the only person known to have researched the 20 found in FNQ and he was unable to say that it was the same age or younger based upon the facts that a different type of stone was used and 90% of the working on the tool was an older tech than the ground and polished edge.

The indigenous peoples of both Papua New Guinea and New Zealand are famous for their ground-edge stone axes. But the technology either never made it to Australia or did make it and has since been lost. I have heard of one pre-European ground-edge stone axe found in outback NSW that was actually imported from New Zealand.