Chinese (Simplified) 
Chinese (Traditional) 
English 
French 
Alemão 
Italian 
Japanese 
Norwegian 
Spanish 
5 min read
0 comments
The oldest wooden structure in the world is 7.275 years old and could rewrite part of the history of Neolithic engineering.
An archaeological discovery in the Czech Republic could change what we know about the building skills of prehistoric societies. During the construction of the D35 highway in the town of Ostrov, archaeologists have discovered a 7.275-year-old well made of oak wood, which may be the oldest scientifically dated wooden structure in the world.
The discovery was made in 2018, but it was only in 2020 that it was officially published in Journal of Archaeological Science, after rigorous dating tests. What surprised the experts the most was the level of technical precision used in the construction, especially considering that the tools available at the time were made only of stone, bones, horns and wood.
Well fitting techniques indicate advanced knowledge for an early Neolithic society
The well was built with four oak posts fixed at the corners, and between them carefully fitted planks—a sophisticated method that resembles techniques used thousands of years later, during the Bronze and Iron Ages. The structure has a square base of 80 centimeters by 80 centimeters e 1,40 meters tall.
-
The $10 billion telescope that sees the first galaxies and operates 1,5 million km from Earth
-
Malves tractors that dared to challenge the Brazilian market and were paralyzed by a bank blockade
-
The incredible construction of São Paulo that is impressing the world
-
US “radioactive time bomb” abandoned at secret Greenland base
Buy
Jaroslav Peška, head of the Olomouc Archaeological Centre, said the discovery challenges current knowledge about Neolithic societies. “It bears traces of construction techniques used even in the Roman Age. We had no idea that early farmers could process wood with such precision,” he told the website. All that's interesting.
Dendrochronological analysis confirmed that the wood was cut between 5.266 and 5.255 BC.
To determine the age of the well, researchers used the dendrochronology, a method that studies the growth rings of trees. The analysis indicated that the trunks were cut between 5.266 and 5.255 BC, which corresponds to approximately 7.275 years ago. One of the most interesting details is that two of the woods used were cut a few years before the others, suggesting reuse of materials of previous constructions.
Furthermore, one of the tablets was even older — between 7.261 and 7.244 years old — which indicates that the well may have undergone subsequent repairs, an unusual practice for the time and yet another demonstration of the level of organization of these communities.
Structure was positioned to reach the water table, suggesting hydrological knowledge
Another point that caught the archaeologists' attention was the way the structure was installed. The oak posts projected downwards, indicating a plan to directly reach the water table, which reveals a rudimentary but efficient knowledge of underground water sources.
Despite the technical sophistication of the well, no trace of permanent dwellings was found around it. Only pottery fragments were present at the site, leading experts to believe that the well was used by several communities of the region during the transition from hunter-gatherers to a settled agricultural society — the so-called Neolithic Revolution.
Well served Neolithic communities and was essential for the water supply of settlements
According to archaeologists, the well may have been built and used by Neolithic settlers who lived in small, simple structures, still in the process of transitioning from nomadism to life in agricultural settlements. “These people probably already domesticated animals and lived semi-sedentary lives, but they did not yet have sophisticated permanent buildings,” Peška explained.
A Neolithic archaeology has revealed that, even with simple tools, these communities already mastered techniques for excavation, construction and reuse of natural resources. This reinforces the idea that the evolution of human engineering may have occurred earlier than previously thought.
The well's state of conservation was possible thanks to the moist subsoil and conservation with sucrose
The excellent state of preservation of the 7.275-year-old well is due to the fact that the structure remained submerged for centuries, in an environment with low oxygenation and stable temperature, which prevented the wood from decomposing.
To maintain its integrity, experts adopted a delicate process of preserving it in sucrose. The wooden boards were immersed in a concentrated sugar solution, which penetrates the cells and gradually replaces the water. The technique allows the wood to maintain its original shape and prevents it from deforming when exposed to air.
The measure is similar to that used in the preservation of ancient vessels, such as the Viking ship found in Norway and other wooden archaeological pieces dating from Antiquity.
Archaeological discovery in Czech Republic could be a milestone in the history of ancient engineering
The discovery of the 7.275 year old well na República REPUBLIC represents a milestone for the Neolithic archaeology and the history of engineering. The structure, in addition to being well preserved, reveals advanced construction techniques, social organization and hydrological knowledge surprising for the period.
If confirmed as the world’s oldest wooden structure, the Ostrov shaft could significantly alter current understanding of the capabilities of early European agricultural societies. With proper conservation, the find could eventually be put on public display, becoming one of the most important relics of European prehistory.
