Ancient Butchery Marks Reveal Early Human Presence in Argentina 21,000 Years Ago

Tool marks on giant armadillo-like mammal fossils provide the oldest known evidence of human activity in southern South America.

Cut marks on ancient fossils have been identified as evidence of human exploitation of large mammals in Argentina more than 20,000 years ago, according to a study published on July 17, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE¹ by Mariano Del Papa of the National University of La Plata, Argentina, and his colleagues.

Introduction: Revisiting Early Human O…