Archaeologists discover what could be world’s oldest boomerang in Europe
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World’s oldest boomerang may have been found - but not in Australia
- A mammoth tusk artefact discovered in Poland's Obłazowa cave could be Europe’s earliest boomerang and potentially the world's oldest tool of its kind.
- The ivory artefact, estimated to be nearly 40,000 years old, was found alongside what appears to be a human little finger or toe bone fossil, according to a study published in the journal PLoS One.
- Unlike most ancient boomerangs, typically found in Australia, are made of wood, this discovery highlights the resourcefulness of early Homo sapiens ancestors using ivory.
- Experiments suggest the artefact could function as a non-returning boomerang, similar to Australian types, and markings provide cultural context for early Homo sapiens in Europe.
- Archaeologists speculate the human digit fossil found with the boomerang may indicate a shamanistic ritual, offering insights into early human technological innovation and symbolic behaviours.