Lomekwi, Archaeological site in Turkana County, Kenya.
Lomekwi is an archaeological site in Turkana County, Kenya, situated on the western shore of Lake Turkana. The location includes several excavation zones where stone tools and artifacts lie distributed across the ground.
Researchers found stone tools here in 2011 that date back 3.3 million years, making them the oldest manufactured implements ever discovered. The find pushed back the known timeline of tool production by several hundred thousand years.
The tools reveal how early ancestors worked stone by striking rocks together to produce sharp edges. These methods show that tool-making abilities developed much earlier than scientists once thought.
Reaching the site requires coordination with local authorities and the archaeological teams working in the region. Visitors should plan ahead, as the area is remote and may need special permissions before entry.
The implements discovered here predate the appearance of the Homo genus, suggesting that earlier hominid species already possessed basic stone-working skills. This discovery changed how scientists understand when and by whom tools were first created.
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