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Stone Tools Found On Crete Push Back Humans' Maritime History

Posted by timothy on from the perhaps-a-swallow-brought-them-there dept.

The New York Times reports that stone tools discovered on the Greek island of Crete, and reported last month at an academic conference, are strong evidence for rethinking the maritime capabilities of early humans. The researchers who found the tools (hand-axes, cleavers, and scrapers) estimate them to be at least 130,000 years old; if they're right, humans have been traveling long distances at sea (Crete is 200 miles from the northern African coastline) for at least several tens of thousands of years longer than earlier believed.

7 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory ... by Webster9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    132,010 BC @ 00:12 Webster9 wrote: First Post

    1. Re:Obligatory ... by DMUTPeregrine · · Score: 4, Funny

      And God said "First Post. Oh, and someone turn on the damn lights!" And there was Light...

      --
      Not a sentence!
  2. First Post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    In a related story, next to one of the axes they found a mast with the words "First Post".
    But the amazing part was the -1 Offtopic heading right beside the inscription.

  3. FIRST BOAT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yay, now I'm a troll too

  4. Re:They're just rocks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    An expert will be able to tell you very quickly if you're dealing with an actual tool

    Seriously. You're just asking for a smartass remark.

  5. Re:Interesting Article But... by pitchpipe · · Score: 4, Funny

    The National Institute of Oceanography states that in studies the sea level of India's coast were about 100m lower about 14k years ago, so extrapolating (a dangerous game I know =) we could say it may be possible that at some point the voyage to Crete was either walkable, or a very short sea voyage.

    So you're saying that the oceans didn't even exist 1,529,360 years ago!? I know, snarky, but I couldn't resist. Hey, you said it was a dangerous game!

    --
    Look where all this talking got us, baby.
  6. Re:Not Necasrily? by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

    Stone tools found on an island indicates that humans were capable of rudimentary sea travel in order to get to Crete from the mainland.

    They could have been carried by swallows.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."