Archaeologist Discovers a Hoard of Paleolithic Artifacts From Ancient Lake, Most Notable Are 1,500-Yr-Old Hand Axes

In 2024, an expert from Vrije Universiteit Brussel traveled to Iraq and uncovered several Paleolithic artifacts. The discovery was made by Ella Egberts, a geo-archaeologist and researcher at the establishment who went to the Iraqi Western Desert searching for archaeological surface material, stated VUB. The most noteworthy finding in the collection was 1,500-year-old hand axes. The examination aimed to determine how archaeological sites with Old and Middle Paleolithic material can be protected. In total Egberts found seven Paleolithic sites in the Al-Shabakah area.

One of the sites found by Egbert housed a huge lake in the Pleistocene period. At present, the lake has completely dried up and instead has ancient wadis or dry riverbeds. The analysis resulted in the researcher finding around 850 artifacts from the area. The collection primarily contained hand axes and Levallois reduction flakes. The axes were found to be from the Early or Old Paleolithic period while the flakes came from the Middle Paleolithic. 

Egbert wants to analyze the other sites also with the same precision, she was able to for the lake site. "The other sites also deserve equally thorough systematic investigation, which will undoubtedly yield similar quantities of lithic material," Egbert said. "Based on the distribution of the sites and the advancing understanding of the region's geomorphological history, there are emerging clues of early human landscape use. In the future, I hope to expand my research to a larger area, systematically sample all the sites, and conduct in-depth technological and typological artifact analysis. The new insights we bring from Iraq will then be integrated into the broader understanding of human evolution and behavior on the Arabian Peninsula."

The researcher was quite happy with the outcome of the examinations. "The fieldwork was a huge success," claimed Egberts. "Our targeted fieldwork resulted in the discovery of seven Paleolithic sites in an area of 10 by 20 km. One location was selected for a systematic study to determine the spatial distribution of the Paleolithic material and to conduct preliminary technological and typological analyses." She aims to continue her survey in the area.

For the research Egbert collaborated with several Iraqi organizations. Three archaeology students accompanied her in the fieldwork, and she also conducted a workshop on her findings at Al-Qadisiyah University. She also spoke highly of her research experience in the country.  "Apart from the presence of numerous checkpoints, we were able to carry out our work without any problems. The people are friendly, and it's actually very nice to work in Iraq. Initially, earlier last year, we did have to postpone our expedition due to a security warning. That was probably related to the war in Gaza…" Egbert added. 

Egbert stated that the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage is encouraging her to continue the study. Her next step is to examine the field for early human evidence in the area. "The next step will be to secure funding, with which I hope to reconstruct Pleistocene environmental changes and early human presence and behavior in the Western Desert," she said.