Lebombo bone facts for kids
The Lebombo bone is an ancient tool made from a baboon leg bone. It has special markings carved into it. This amazing discovery was found in Border Cave, located in the Lebombo Mountains. These mountains are found between South Africa and Eswatini.
Scientists believe the bone is between 43,000 and 42,000 years old. This age was figured out using a method called radiocarbon dating. This makes it much older than another famous ancient bone, the Ishango bone, which it is sometimes confused with.
What is the Lebombo Bone?
The Lebombo bone is a piece of a baboon's lower leg bone, called a fibula. It has 29 clear notches, or cuts, carved into its surface. The person who found it, Peter Beaumont, thought these marks might have been made during special ceremonies or rituals. This is because similar markings have been found on ancient objects all over the world.
Was it a Tally Stick?
Many experts think the Lebombo bone might have been a tally stick. A tally stick is a tool used to count things or keep track of time. The 29 notches on the bone are very interesting. Some people believe it was used to track the phases of the Moon. If this is true, it means that early African people might have been among the first to use mathematics to keep track of time.
However, one end of the bone is broken. This means there might have been more than 29 notches originally. Other ancient notched bones found around the world often have fewer marks, usually between 1 and 10. So, while the Lebombo bone is a mystery, it gives us a peek into how ancient people might have used numbers.
See also
- History of mathematics
- Tally sticks
