伦敦大学考古学院的研究团队在英国西萨塞克斯郡的Boxgrove遗址发现了一件距今约50万年的象骨锤，这是欧洲已知最古老的象骨工具。[1]这件工具长约11厘米，宽约6厘米，厚约3厘米，表面留有缺口、撞击痕迹和燧石碎片残留。[1]
研究表明，早期人类使用这件象骨工具作为"锐化器"，用于修复和锐化石制手斧。[1]该工具的发现反映了古人类具备高度的工艺技能和复杂思维能力。[1]伦敦大学考古学院的首席研究员Simon Parfitt表示："这一非凡发现展现了我们祖先的聪慧与足智多谋。他们不仅对周围本地材料有深入了解，而且还掌握了精心制作精细石器工具的高超技术。"[1]
这件工具的创造者可能是早期尼安德特人或海德堡人。[1]此前，欧洲已知最古老的象骨工具约距今45万年。[1]相关研究成果已发表在《Science Advances》期刊上。[1]
Archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London have identified a remarkable elephant bone hammer discovered at the Boxgrove site near Chichester in West Sussex, England, dating back approximately 500,000 years.[1] The artifact, measuring roughly 11 centimeters long, 6 centimeters wide, and 3 centimeters thick, represents the oldest known elephant bone tool found in Europe.[1] Analysis of the tool's surface reveals distinctive notches, impact marks, and embedded flint fragments, indicating it was used as a "sharpener" to repair and hone stone hand axes.[1]
The discovery demonstrates the sophisticated cognitive abilities and technical mastery of early human ancestors, likely Neanderthals or Homo heidelbergensis, who inhabited the region during the Middle Pleistocene.[1] Lead researcher Simon Parfitt emphasized the significance of the find, stating: "This remarkable discovery showcases the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our ancient ancestors. They possessed, not only a deep knowledge of the local materials around them, but also a sophisticated understanding of how to craft highly refined stone tools."[1] The research, published in Science Advances in 2026, extends the documented evidence of bone tool use in Europe, surpassing the previous record of approximately 450,000-year-old elephant bone implements.[1]