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Researchers believe ancient stone tools found in Brazil are a site of art and design by capuchin monkeys, not early humans. As Artnet reports, Citing an academic article.
Archaeologist Agustin M. Agnolin and paleontologist Federico L. An article It was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal Holocene In November.
of Article said. Archaeologists have uncovered what they believe to be ancient stone tools made from local quartz and quartzite cobbles in previous excavations at Pedra Furada – a collection of more than 800 archaeological sites in Piau, in northeastern Brazil.
The oldest of the stone tools found is up to 50,000 years old, according to the article, which some scholars theorize is evidence of early human presence in the area.
Unexpected findings from 2016, However, he posed a challenge to that theory.
The findings show that capuchin monkeys in northeastern Brazil can make and use many types of stone tools.
This has increased the chances as in the first case In 2017, it was suggested that Monkeys—not humans—may be responsible for producing Pedra Furada’s findings.
And according to Agnolin and Agnolin, the researchers behind it Holocene The article says there is compelling evidence that the tools are not man-made.
“Our review of the evidence suggests that the most ancient sites in Brazil are the result of ape activity, not of the First Amerindians,” said Federico L’Anoline. He spoke to Argentina’s National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET)..
The researchers compared the tools found at Pedra Furada to those used by capuchin monkeys today.
“The results were surprising. There was no difference between the human tools of 50,000 years ago and those made by apes today,” said Agustin M. Anoline told CONICET.
The researchers used past studies and observations of capuchin monkey populations to show that the primates use small stones as hammers and large, flat stones as anvils to crack open nuts and seeds.
Agustin M. A press release by CONICET.
In addition, the researchers Holocene An article that lacked evidence of human presence, citing a lack of hearths or traces of food remains.
“Our research shows that the tools from Pedra Furada and nearby Brazil are nothing more than the result of capuchin monkeys crushing nuts and stones 50,000 years ago,” said Federico L. Anoline He told CONICET..
This article was originally published by Business Insider.
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