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Inside Ubeidiya websitein northern Israel, is a mystery that has puzzled scientists since the 1960s. Accompanying the common stone tools such as hand axes, about 600 stone spheroids the size of a plum were discovered, estimated to be about 1.4 million years old.
These stone balls, once dismissed as possible residue from the making of other tools, now appear to be intentionally created objects. although the purpose is unknown.
3D ANALYSIS
To solve this mystery, a team from the Computational Archeology Laboratory at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) has developed advanced 3D analysis software. The study was also conducted in collaboration with researchers from Tel Hai College and Rovira i Virgili University.
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This software is capable of measuring angles on the surface of a spheroid, calculating the degree of curvature of the surface, and determining the object’s center of gravity. was used to analyze 150 of these spheroids.
The team led by Antoine Muller was able to precisely measure the angles of the markings found on the surface of the spheroids, replicating as closely as possible the process by which the artisans created them. The results suggest the extraordinary ability of hominids 1.4 million years ago to imagine a sphere and shape stones according to that vision. ORA fascinating testament to planning, foresight and craftsmanship.
APPRECIATE SYMMETRY
These stones, with a rough surface and an almost perfect spherical shape, are very different from those that would have been formed by natural processes, as they would have a much smoother texture due to water erosion. This finding suggests a conscious appreciation for symmetry and beauty, a fascination that may have been driven by the simple joy of creating symmetry.
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However, the exact nature and purpose of these spheres remains a mystery. Naama Goren-Inbaran archaeologist at HUJI, warns that the presence of numerous scars on the surface of these spheroids makes it impossible to determine what they might have looked like at earlier stages of their formation.
On his part Julia Cabanes, a scientist at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, sees this new methodology as a valuable tool to better understand the mindset of ancient craftsmen. Cabanès hopes this 3D method can be applied to other, even older artifacts, as spheroids up to 2 million years old have been found at sites in Africa.
UbeidiyaAbout 3 km south of the Sea of Galilee, in the Jordan Valley, is an early Pleistocene archaeological site that preserves traces of one of the first migrations of Homo erectus from Africa.