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Algeria is the new 'cradle of civilization'

Civilization - Level 0

Scientists believed the first humans were from East Africa. This changed because they found 2.4-million-year-old stone tools in Algeria. Scientists now say the first humans were from Algeria. They found 250 tools and 296 animal bones. The bones show that early humans cut up meat.

Archaeologists have been digging on this project for 25 years. The site is 200 miles from Algeria's capital. The project leader said humans killed animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than we thought. The tools showed that early humans were more than scavengers. Scientists now want to find even older stone tools.

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Civilization - Level 1

Scientists believed humans started in East Africa. This changed because of 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now say that Algeria is the cradle of civilization. They found 250 tools and 296 animal bones. The animal bones show that early humans cut up meat. The leader of the project said the tools changed his view that humankind originated in East Africa. He said: "Actually, the whole of Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been digging on this project for 25 years. The tools and bones were found about 200 miles east of Algeria's capital. The project leader said humans were killing animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than we thought. Another archaeologist said the tools showed that our ancestors were more than scavengers. She didn't know if they hunted. The scientists now hope to find the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

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Civilization - Level 2

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Scientists used to believe humans originated in East Africa. This has changed because of many 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now believe that Algeria is the cradle of civilization - where humankind began. Archaeologists found 250 tools and 296 animal bones. The animal bones show that early humans were cutting up meat. Dr Mohamed Sahnouni, leader of the project, said: "The evidence from Algeria changes the earlier view that East Africa was the cradle of humankind." He also said: "Actually, the whole of Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been digging at sites on this project for 25 years. The tools and bones were discovered near a city about 200 miles east of Algeria's capital, Algiers. The animal bones have excited the scientists. Dr Sahnouni said it is clear that humans were killing animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than we thought. Another archaeologist said: "The effective use of...tools...suggests that our ancestors were not mere scavengers." She said it wasn't clear whether or not they hunted. Dr Sahnouni now hopes to find the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

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Civilization - Level 3

For many decades, scientists believed the earliest humans originated in East Africa. This belief has changed because of a collection of 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now believe that Algeria and not East Africa is the cradle of civilization - where humankind began. The new find consists of 250 tools. There were also 296 animal bones. The scientists say the animal bones show that early humans were butchering meat. Dr Mohamed Sahnouni, leader of the project, said: "The evidence from Algeria changes the earlier view that East Africa was the cradle of humankind." He added: "Actually, the whole of Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been digging at various sites on this project for 25 years. The sharp-edged tools and bones were discovered near the city of Setif, about 200 miles east of Algeria's capital, Algiers. In particular, the animal bones excited the scientists. Dr Sahnouni said it is now clear that humans were butchering animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than previously thought. A Spanish archaeologist said: "The effective use of sharp-edged tools ...suggests that our ancestors were not mere scavengers." She said it wasn't clear whether or not they hunted, but they did compete with other animals to get access to meat. Dr Sahnouni now hopes to find the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

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