Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:18:08 GMT | PressTV
 Mokhtar Saidin holding a 1.8 million-year-old artifact during a press conference on Penang Island, Malaysia |
Malaysian archeologists say they have discovered the world's oldest axes during excavations in the country's northern state of Perak.
The stone axes were found along with other tools in June 2008 and were tested by the Japanese laboratory, Geochronology Japan Inc.
Experts say the result has a margin of error of 610,000 years and the find has to be approved by other experts as well, AP reported.
Studies showed that the seven axes dated back to about 1.8 million years ago, said director of the Center for Archaeological Research at Malaysia's University of Science Mokhtar Saidin.
"It's really the first time we have such evidence (dating back) 1.83 million years," he said, adding that the previous record belonged to 1.6 million-year-old axes found in Africa.
Archeologists are trying to find human skeletal remains at the site, but the humidity of the area has made it nearly impossible. The oldest bones found in Perak are at most 10,000 years old.
The oldest evidence of human existence in Malaysia were stone tools dating back to about 200,000 years ago which were found at the same site.
Studies showed that the seven axes dated back to about 1.8 million years ago, said director of the Center for Archaeological Research at Malaysia's University of Science Mokhtar Saidin.
"It's really the first time we have such evidence (dating back) 1.83 million years," he said, adding that the previous record belonged to 1.6 million-year-old axes found in Africa.
Archeologists are trying to find human skeletal remains at the site, but the humidity of the area has made it nearly impossible. The oldest bones found in Perak are at most 10,000 years old.
The oldest evidence of human existence in Malaysia were stone tools dating back to about 200,000 years ago which were found at the same site.
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