Hominids used stone tool kits to butcher animals earlier than once thought
The makers of these versatile implements, which enabled a well-rounded diet, remain a mystery
![composite image of stone tool artifacts on a black background](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/020923_BB_old-tools_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
A dig at a lakeside site in Kenya has uncovered the oldest known stone toolkits, dating to roughly 2.9 million years ago. These finds consist of rounded stones (right) that were pounded on angular stones (center) to strike off sharp-edged pieces (left).
T.W. Plummer, J.S. Oliver and E.M. Finestone/Homa Peninsula Paleoanthrology Project