~2.6 million years agoReputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The Genus Homo and the First Stone Tools
On the timeline · around ~2.6 million years ago · The Human Era
What happened
The oldest widely accepted stone tools — the simple flakes and cores of the Oldowan toolkit — date to about 2.6 million years ago. They are associated with early members of our own genus, Homo, such as Homo habilis ('handy man'), though other hominins may also have made tools.
Why it matters
Toolmaking marks a leap in behaviour and cognition, and the rise of the genus Homo began the story that leads directly to modern humans.
Sources
- Smithsonian Human Origins Program. Homo habilis · Reputable source
- Smithsonian Human Origins Program. Early Stone Age Tools · Reputable source