News Archaeology

The oldest known abrading tool was used around 350,000 years ago

Using a grinding or rubbing stone represented an early shift in stone-tool making

round stone, the oldest known abrading tool

A flat surface at the top of a round stone, shown from two angles, originally found in three pieces at Israel’s Tabun Cave, was used to grind or rub hides or other relatively soft material around 350,000 years ago. That makes this find the oldest known abrading tool.

Iris Groman-Yaroslavski

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

A round stone excavated at Israel’s Tabun Cave in the 1960s represents the oldest known grinding or rubbing tool, say researchers who scrutinized the 350,000-year-old find.