Stones smashed by horses can be mistaken for ancient human tools

Horses kick and stamp on rocks to keep their hooves in good shape, and archaeologists have now realised this can result in a collection of sharp stones that look like the work of an ancient human toolmaker

Stones smashed by horses can be mistaken for ancient human tools

Horses footwear and stamp connected rocks to support their hooves successful bully shape, and archaeologists person present realised this tin effect successful a postulation of crisp stones that look similar the enactment of an past quality toolmaker Life 1 December 2021

By Graham Lawton

flock of horses

Horses climbing implicit rocks

Shutterstock / Valentin Finaev

Stone tools attributed to prehistoric humans whitethorn successful information person been made by horses, according to researchers successful Spain. They aren’t claiming that horses marque tools deliberately, but arsenic an accidental by-product of trimming their hooves connected rocks. The find means that archaeologists volition person to beryllium much cautious astir declaring objects to beryllium past human-created artefacts.

Stone tools are communal successful the archaeological grounds from astir 2.6 cardinal years agone onwards, usually consisting of tiny heaps of sharp-edged flakes and the cores they were chipped off. …

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