The ERC_INASIA project is shedding new light on one of the big questions in human history:
When and how did our ancestors develop advanced stone tool technologies?
Our research focuses on local blade industries in Central Asia—sophisticated methods of stone tool production that look surprisingly similar to those from the Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP), a key period linked to early modern humans.
🧭 But here’s the twist: these tools in Uzbekistan appear to be much older than expected, possibly dating back to Marine Isotope Stage 4 (MIS 4)—a cold, harsh period around 70,000–60,000 years ago.
If confirmed, this could rewrite timelines and offer new insights into human innovation, survival, and movement across Eurasia.
📘 Curious about the evidence? Check out our latest paper:
New Data for Asymmetric Core Reduction in Western Tian Shan Piedmonts: The Ertash Sai 2 Open-Air Site
Kot, M., Kogai, S., Pavlenok, G., Gryczewska, N., Brancaleoni, G., Krajcarz, M. T., … Pavlenok, K. (2024). New Data for Asymmetric Core Reduction in Western Tian Shan Piedmonts: The Ertash Sai 2 Open-Air Site. Lithic Technology, 50(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/01977261.2024.2319429
