World's oldest boomerang may have been found - but not in Australia
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.
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