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World's second oldest axe found in Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered the world's second oldest axe inside Antalya's Karain Cave, believed to be 350,000 years old.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered the world's second oldest axe inside Antalya's Karain Cave, believed to be 350,000 years old.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations
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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

The Paleolithic archaeological site is located at Yağca Village 27 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of Antalya city in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations
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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

Harun Taşkıran, a professor at the Department of Archeology in Ankara University, said during the excavation process, they have found a sharp, two sided axe, equaling more or less to the size of a human hand, in the middle Paleolithic era layers of the cave.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations
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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

He said that the axe must have been used for hunting. Another similar axe was found in the same cave last year.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations
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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

The presence of axes and tools concludes that the cave was a living space, where ancient people were making tools. It also shows that they (ancient people) had discovered fire and were separating flesh of animals that they hunted.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations
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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

The excavations in the Karain Cave had begun in 1946. The area is believed to have a history of 500,000 years.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations
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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

Taşkıran says that the remains of hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephants and Homo neanderthalensis (archaic humans) were also found in the Cave.

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Worlds second oldest axe found in Antalyas Karain Cave during archaeological excavations

Earlier in 2016, archaeologists in Australia had discovered the remains of a polished Stone Age tool believed to have been made almost 50,000 years ago.