Stone Tools Found On Crete Push Back Humans' Maritime History 176
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.
Obligatory ... (Score:5, Funny)
First Post (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.
FIRST BOAT (Score:4, Funny)
Re:They're just rocks. (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.
Bah. (Score:3, Funny)
Could ancient humans do the backstroke? (Score:1, Funny)
Maybe they were just very good swimmers?
Re:Interesting Article But... (Score:5, 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!
Re:Obligatory ... (Score:3, Funny)
Would that be an African Swallow, or a European Swallow?
Re:Not Necasrily? (Score:5, Funny)
They could have been carried by swallows.
Re:Obligatory ... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I read a lot (Score:4, Funny)
In fact, I don't know if you know this or not, Greeks were spawned by niggers
Really? That's absolutely fascinating. I had previously assumed that, unlike all of the other humans on the Earth whose ancestors came from Africa, the Greek civilisation had sprung full-formed from the head of Zeus. Thank you for correcting my belief.
Re:Obligatory ... (Score:1, Funny)
Shouldn't that be First Boat?
Re:Not Necasrily? (Score:2, Funny)
FTA:
Stone tools found on an island indicates that humans were capable of rudimentary sea travel in order to get to Crete from the mainland.
Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe they just built a bridge.
Re: FIRST BOAT (Score:4, Funny)
Yay, now I'm a troll too
First boast?
Re:Not Necasrily? (Score:1, Funny)
They could have been carried by swallows.
African or European swallows?
Re:Humans are pretty damn clever... (Score:4, Funny)
Crete's highest peak is visible from about 100 nm.
It took me about thirty seconds to shake nanometers out of my head and come up with nautical miles. "Gosh," thought I, "that's even flatter than Kansas, where the highest peak can be seen from several microns' distance."