Ancient stone tools unearthed in southern Greece are providing new insight into early human butchery practices nearly half a million years ago.
Researchers report that the tools found alongside animal remains at an open-air site known as Marathousa 1 indicate that early humans employed a variety of cutting techniques to process large animals, including an extinct species of elephant.
The findings come from a study published in PLOS One and led by researchers at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment at the University of Tübingen.
The site, located in the Megalopolis Basin in the Peloponnese region, dates back approximately 430,000 years and is currently considered the oldest archaeological site in Greece.
Ancient site links tool use to early hunting behavior
Excavations at Marathousa 1 revealed dozens of sharp-edged flakes, many lying close to the butchered bones of prehistoric elephants.
Researchers believe early humans used these tools to cut meat and dismember large carcasses. Some of the elephant bones show clear cut marks and impact damage, indicating active processing by human hands.
“The site gives us a rare opportunity to see how early humans interacted with their environment, especially when it came to processing big game,” said Dalila De Caro, the study’s lead author and a doctoral candidate at the University of Tübingen.
De Caro and her team collaborated with scientists from the University of Ioannina, the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sport, and other institutions.
The analysis focused on the construction of the tools and the materials used.
Most were crafted from local radiolarite—a hard rock that is ideal for toolmaking. Others were shaped from limestone, flint, and quartz.
Toolmaking strategies show technical skill and adaptability
The study found that two main techniques were used: freehand striking and bipolar percussion. Freehand striking involved holding a stone and hitting it directly to produce sharp flakes. Bipolar percussion, on the other hand, placed the stone on a hard surface and struck it from above, maximizing the use of smaller pieces.
Experiments confirmed that the flakes were highly effective for cutting through animal tissue. Some were later refined into more complex tools such as scrapers and drills.
Dr. Vangelis Tourloukis, a co-author from the Universities of Tübingen and Ioannina, explained that the small tools do not reflect simple technology. Instead, they point to thoughtful and flexible adaptation. “The direct link between these tools and the remains of elephants shows how skilled these early humans were,” he said.
Stone tools found in Greece show clear evidence of butchery, offering one of the earliest glimpses into how early humans processed large animals in Europe.
The team now plans to explore whether similar patterns of tool use and animal processing can be found at other sites across Eurasia.
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