Gabon forest cave reveals clues about prehistoric central Africa • FRANCE 24 English

Hidden amongst the trees of this equatorial forest, the caves of Lastville have been meticulously combed through by a team of scientists. These are the remnants of an old ancient ocean from about 2 billion years ago. And do this rock that emerged from it is a rock that dissolves in water. And of course, this creates caverns. That’s why the Ltorville region is known for its cavities. Crouched in the darkness of the cave of Yumbidi, archaeologists are searching for clues that could explain how humans lived in these caves more than 25,000 years ago. We hope to find a human tooth since we are finding bone remains, animals, lithic remains, and carved stones. And we also hope to find, why not an entire human skeleton. Even the most modest remains are crucial to reconstructing the past. This year’s findings are analyzed in this laboratory. Among them, a pottery shard among the oldest found in central Africa, estimated to be more than 6,500 years old. But for these experts, it is a small pearl which is of particular interest. The surprise of the year is a small pearl. It’s difficult to see because it’s so tiny. But it was carved from a snail shell. These were people who had real customs, a real civilization, a way of life. And this small pearl is a humble but beautiful witness to these societies that existed in the forests of the region. According to this team of archaeologists, these ancient populations had to adapt to drastic changes in their climate. Reconstructing their long unknown past could help us learn from the resilience of our ancestors.

In Gabon’s sprawling forest, archaeologists dig for ancient clues that could unlock the secrets of how prehistoric humans lived and interacted in the changing landscape of central Africa. Two billion years ago, the eastern Gabonese region of Lastourville was covered by a vast ocean.
#Gabon #Africa #prehistoric

🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: https://f24.my/YTen
🔴 LIVE – Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: https://f24.my/YTliveEN

🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: https://www.france24.com/en/

Like us on Facebook: https://f24.my/FBen
Follow us on X: https://f24.my/Xen
Bluesky: https://f24.my/BSen and Threads: https://f24.my/THen
Browse the news in pictures on Instagram: https://f24.my/IGen
Discover our TikTok videos: https://f24.my/TKen
Get the latest top stories on Telegram: https://f24.my/TGen

1 comment

Comments are closed.