Half-million-year-old wooden structure unearthed in Zambia

The discovery of ancient wooden logs in the banks of a river in Zambia has changed archaeologists' understanding of ancient human life. Researchers found evidence the wood had been used to build a structure almost half a million years ago. The findings, published in the journal Nature, suggest stone-age people built what may have been shelters. "This find has changed how I think about our early ancestors," archaeologist Prof Larry Barham said. The University of Liverpool scientist leads the Deep Roots of Humanity research project, which excavated and analysed the ancient timber.

tips

archaeology 考古学

ancestor 祖先

shelter 居所；庇护，避难所；vt. 掩护

excavate 挖掘（cav- = hole，洞）

timber 木材