Stone tools found in Uzbekistan may date back 320,000 years
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Archaeologists have discovered stone tools in the Arkutsoy Paleolithic site in Tashkent region, Uzbekistan, that may be 320,000–280,000 years old. The finds were announced by the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. If dating is confirmed, Arkutsoy would become the oldest known archaeological site in Uzbekistan.
Key Facts
- Stone tools were found at the Arkutsoy Paleolithic site in Bostanlyk district, Tashkent region.
- The layer containing the tools is estimated to be 320,000–280,000 years old.
- The excavation is a joint project of the Institute of Anthropology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
- Targeted archaeological research at Arkutsoy began in 2024.
- Stone artifacts were found in three ancient buried soil layers at the site.
The Discovery
A joint archaeological expedition from the Institute of Anthropology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences is conducting research at the Arkutsoy Paleolithic site in Bostanlyk district, Tashkent region. Stone tools were found in three ancient buried soil layers, indicating that ancient human communities occupied the area in several phases rather than a single episode. The third ancient buried soil layer yielded stone artifacts of particular scientific importance. Preliminary geological and paleoclimatic comparisons suggest this layer formed approximately 320,000–280,000 years ago. If independent laboratory analyses confirm these dates, it would show that the Tashkent oasis and the territory of Uzbekistan were inhabited by ancient humans as early as the late Early Paleolithic.
Research Context
Targeted archaeological investigations at Arkutsoy began in 2024, with field research conducted jointly by Uzbek and Russian scientific institutions for three years. Excavation and observation are currently underway at three separate areas of the site. Researchers aim to determine the age, stratigraphic position, and archaeological context of stone items found in geological layers, and to reconstruct the stages of ancient human occupation of the area. Previous geological studies had found stone artifacts at depths of about 20 and 40 meters in the Arkutsoy section, but their stratigraphic position and archaeological context were insufficiently documented to establish precise ages. Recent research confirmed the presence of stone artifacts at various levels of the Arkutsoy geological section.
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Stone tools found in Uzbekistan may date back 320,000 years
