The first ever structure built by humans

What we recognize as humans have only been around for no longer than 200,000 years, evolving from a sting of species very close to, but not quite human as we know them today. Its only been as little as 50,000 years that we have developed into what we recognize as the modern day human, but for most of this time, people were very primitive and hadn’t even discovered pottery yet.

The first thing ever built by humans would likely be a shelter covered in animal skins or reeds, but of course we have no evidence of this since the materials would have long since vanished. The oldest structure ever built by the human race, that there’s still evidence of, is at a site located in Kostyonki in south-western Russia.

It consists of a circular structure about 40 feet wide and appears to have been made mostly from woolly mammoth bones. There are at least 60 different mammoth skeletons that were used to make the structure, which was presumably also covered in their skins, but how old actually is it?

The site has been dated as being built around 25,000 years ago

This would make it the oldest known structure ever built by humans, out-dating other such ancient sites like the pyramids of Giza by over 20,000 years. Previously the oldest still-standing structure was a temple in modern day Turkey called göbekli tepe which was built around 10,000 BCE, though its much more elaborate than a large bone tent.

What’s been found at the site?

As well as over 60 mammoth skeletons, bones of foxes, horse and deer have been found there along with individual sections within the structure. It seems that the interior was divided into various working areas, such as an area for butchering meat and one for cooking, as well as various unidentified sections of unknown use.

Some of the mammoth bones used in creating the structure seem to have been put there partially whole, with hips and back legs from the same animal forming one support, with partial skeletons from other mammoths making up the rest of the main supports. This would suggest the bones were put in place when they were still fresh and connected with tissue which gives credit to the theory that the site was occupied by hunters who killed their own mammoths instead of just finding bones and bringing them back.

What was it and why was it built where it was?

It has been suggested that the site was probably a religious site since such a huge amount of work went into building it in the first place, especially considering how hard it would be to kill a mammoth with stone tools. This theory hasn’t been accepted by all because several hundred pieces of charcoal were recovered from a fire pit within the structure, suggesting someone lived there for a long time.

One of the most accepted theories is that the site was there simply because it was in excellent hunting ground, combined with a spring in the area that doesn’t freeze during the winter months. A mammoth would provide a huge amount of meat and skin, and because the structure is made up of over 60 mammoths it would suggest the area had a very high mammoth population at the time, providing huge amounts of food for anyone brave enough to try and kill one.

Remains of tubular vegetables like parsnips and carrots have been recovered from the site, but it’s most likely that these came from wild gathering instead of farming, and were only collected to supplement the very heavy meat based diet of whoever lived there. Who these people were and what happened to them will forever remain a mystery, but for decades and possibly hundreds of years, an ancient tribe constructed the oldest surviving structure known to man and lived there by hunting mammoths and drinking spring water.