Jakarta –
Long before the Egyptian pyramids were erected and thousands of years before the birth of modern civilization, ancient humans were already building artificial structures to survive. Archaeologists discovered the world’s oldest man-made structure, estimated to be more than 23,000 years old, or about three times older than the Egyptian pyramids.
This ancient structure was discovered in Theopetra Cave, Thessaly region, Greece. The shape is a simple stone wall composed of irregular stones and clay, located at the mouth of the cave. Even though it seems simple, this finding changes scientists’ view of the intelligence and adaptability of ancient humans.
Dating shows the wall was built during the Last Glacial Maximum, when temperatures in Europe were much colder than now. Researchers believe this structure was created to partially close the cave entrance, block extreme cold winds, and create a warmer space for the occupants.
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“This evidence shows an early form of architectural planning,” said Dr. Catherine Kyparissi-Apostolika, archaeologist and Director of Theopetra Cave Excavations, quoted from the Indian Defense Review.
“This proves that Paleolithic humans were able to modify their environment in much more complex ways than we previously imagined,” he continued.
This discovery is important because so far the oldest buildings are often said to come from much younger times, such as Göbekli Tepe in Türkiye which is around 11,500 years old. The structures in Theopetra Cave show that the concept of ‘building’ was known to humans tens of thousands of years earlier, although not yet in the form of cities or monuments.
Theopetra Cave is a very special archaeological site. Its sedimentary layers record traces of human habitation for more than 130 thousand years, from the Neanderthal era to early modern humans. At the same location, archaeologists also found stone tools, remains of campfires, shell jewelry, and even ancient human footprints.
The discovery of this 23 thousand year old wall strengthens the view that ancient humans were not just passive hunter-gatherers, but intelligent creatures capable of devising technical solutions to survive in extreme environments. Even without metal, without machines, and without writing, they already understood how to change nature for survival.
(rns/rns)
