Deep within a cave in southern Poland lies a treasure trove rewriting the history of human presence in the region. Flint tools found decades ago in Tunel Wielki Cave, previously estimated to be 40,000 years old, have been revealed to be a staggering half a million years old, making them some of the oldest artifacts ever unearthed in Poland.
Dr. Magorzata Kot, an archaeologist at the University of Warsaw, leads a project meticulously analyzing artifacts and bones discovered during past excavations in caves of the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland. Tunel Wielki Cave near Ojców is one such location. Many finds from these digs ended up in storage after initial excavations, waiting for a closer look with advancements in research techniques.
The groundbreaking discovery began with a keen observation by Dr. Claudio Berto. He noticed that tiny animal remains found in the cave were far older than previously thought, potentially reaching a remarkable half a million years. These included bones of extinct rodents, Mosbachian wolves, lycaons, an early cave bear ancestor, and a felid cave lion species – creatures that once roamed the area between 450,000 and 550,000 years ago.
But the real surprise emerged from the same layer of earth. Alongside the ancient animal bones lay 40 flint artifacts. Most were tool-making debris, but some were finished tools, including small flint knives. The close proximity of these artifacts to the dated animal bones strongly suggested a similar age. Re-excavations conducted in 2018 confirmed Dr. Kot’s suspicions, revealing the same geological layering reported by researchers decades earlier. They even unearthed additional toolmaking waste and animal bones.
Interestingly, no marks of butchering or processing were found on the animal bones, suggesting these early humans weren’t hunting the creatures found in the cave. Scientists speculate they likely targeted different, less dangerous prey.
The Tunel Wielki discoveries are particularly significant because they represent some of the oldest evidence of human activity in Poland. Previously, only two sites in Lower Silesia – Trzebnica and Rusko – yielded flint artifacts of comparable age. Furthermore, these tools were not crafted by our direct ancestors, but by Homo heidelbergensis, an extinct human species that predates Neanderthals by 250,000 years. While Neanderthal tools have been unearthed in the Małopolska region, these newly identified artifacts represent the work of an even earlier human relative.
The team’s future endeavors focus on uncovering Homo heidelbergensis bones within the cave, potentially leading to the oldest human remains ever discovered on Polish soil. The current record holder, a Neanderthal, dates back a mere 50,000 years in comparison.
The Tunel Wielki findings not only rewrite the history of human presence in Poland but offer a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Homo heidelbergensis. These early humans not only created tools but also coexisted with a diverse range of now-extinct fauna. As research continues, this Polish cave promises to unlock even more secrets about our distant past.