Archaeologists have identified a nearly 500,000-year-old tool made from elephant bone in southern England, making it the oldest known elephant bone tool ever discovered in Europe.
Researchers say the rare artifact offers new evidence of the planning, skill, and technical abilities of early human ancestors. A team from University College London (UCL) and the Natural History Museum in London analyzed the prehistoric object and concluded that ancient humans deliberately shaped the bone to help maintain stone tools. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.
Rare bone reveals advanced toolmaking
Researchers believe the tool was made by early Neanderthals or Homo heidelbergensis. Rather than serving as a heavy hammer, it likely functioned as a retoucher. This type of tool restores the sharp edge of worn stone implements by removing small flakes through a process known as knapping.
Lead author Simon Parfitt of the UCL Institute of Archaeology and the Natural History Museum said the discovery highlights the ingenuity of early humans. He said they understood the properties of the materials around them and knew how to use them to produce finely crafted stone tools. Elephant bone, he added, would have been an uncommon but valuable resource.
The fossilized artifact has a roughly triangular shape and measures about 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) long. Most of it consists of cortical bone, the hard outer layer of bone. Its unusual thickness suggests it came from either an elephant or a mammoth, although too little remains to identify the exact species.
Microscopic clues reveal how the tool was used
The bone fragment was recovered during excavations in the early 1990s but was not recognized as a tool at the time. Its purpose only became clear after researchers reexamined artifacts from the site using 3D scanning and electron microscopy.
Archaeologists have identified Europe's oldest known elephant bone tool, a nearly 500,000-year-old artifact found at Boxgrove in southern England. The bone, likely shaped by early Neanderthals or Homo heidelbergensis, was used to sharpen stone tools. pic.twitter.com/yzfnHAWVxy
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) July 28, 2026
The analysis revealed impact marks, notches, and repeated wear consistent with tool use. Researchers also found tiny flint fragments embedded in the surface, providing strong evidence that the bone had been used repeatedly to reshape and sharpen stone tools.
Elephant bone was particularly well suited for the task because its dense outer layer could withstand repeated impacts while allowing greater control than stone.
Discovery expands Europe’s prehistoric record
The artifact was found at Boxgrove, a well-known archaeological site near Chichester in West Sussex, England. Although excavations there have uncovered hundreds of prehistoric flint, bone and antler artifacts, this is the first elephant bone tool identified at the site.
Researchers do not know whether early humans hunted the animal or collected its bones from a carcass. However, damage to the artifact suggests the bone was still fresh when it was shaped and used.
Elephant bone tools have previously been found at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, with some dating to about 1.5 million years ago. In Europe, however, such discoveries are exceptionally rare. Before the Boxgrove find, the oldest known example was about 450,000 years old and came from warmer regions farther south.
Co-author Dr. Silvia Bello of the Natural History Museum said the discovery shows that early humans deliberately selected rare materials and understood how to use them effectively. Researchers say the find extends the known history of elephant bone technology in Europe and demonstrates that prehistoric people in Britain were producing and maintaining sophisticated tools nearly half a million years ago.
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