Earliest Evidence of Mammoth Bone Processing Unearthed in Khmelnytskyi Region
In the small town of Medzhybizh, nestled in Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi region, archaeologists have uncovered the oldest known traces of mammoth bone processing by early humans, dating back as far as 400,000 years.
The findings, detailed in a study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, emerged from an analysis of steppe mammoth remains at a prehistoric campsite in Medzhybizh. This site hails from the Early Paleolithic era—the dawn of the Stone Age. Among the discoveries were 24 small tusk fragments, each no longer than five centimeters. Eleven of these bore clear signs of human handiwork, sharpened at both ends.
Researchers dubbed one piece a “point”—a tusk fragment with edges converging at a sharp angle—though it’s unclear if it served as a spear tip. Another artifact, oval in shape, adds to the mystery.
What these ancient people crafted from animal bones remains a puzzle. Some speculate the objects might not have been practical tools at all—perhaps they were practice pieces for young learners honing their skills on tougher materials like stone. Alternatively, bones may have been a fallback in a region scarce on better resources.
