新奇事件簿 文明的摇篮—阿尔及利亚？

For many decades, scientists believed the earliest humans originated¹ in East Africa. This belief has changed because of a collection of 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now believe that Algeria and not East Africa is the cradle² of civilization - where humankind began. The new find consists of 250 tools. There were also 296 animal bones. The scientists say the animal bones show that early humans were butchering meat. Dr Mohamed Sahnouni, leader of the project, said: "The evidence from Algeria changes the earlier view that East Africa was the cradle of humankind." He added: "Actually, the whole of Africa was the cradle of humankind."

几十年来，科学家们都认为最早期的人类起源于东非。而这一信念发生了变化，因为在阿尔及利亚发现了一批240万年之久的石器。现在科学家认为阿尔及利亚才是文明的摇篮—人类开始的地方，而非东非。新的发现包括250个石器。还有296个动物骨头。科学家表示动物骨头表明早期人类会屠宰肉类。项目领导人Mohamed Sahnouni博士说道：“在阿尔及利亚发现的这些证据改变了东非是人类摇篮的这一早期观点。”他还补充道：“其实，整个非洲都是人类摇篮。”

Archaeologists have been digging at various sites on this project for 25 years. The sharp-edged tools and bones were discovered near the city of Setif, about 200 miles east of Algeria's capital, Algiers. In particular, the animal bones excited the scientists. Dr Sahnouni said it is now clear that humans were butchering animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than previously³ thought. A Spanish archaeologist said: "The effective use of sharp-edged tools ...suggests that our ancestors were not mere⁴ scavengers." She said it wasn't clear whether or not they hunted, but they did compete with other animals to get access to meat. Dr Sahnouni now hopes to find the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

25年来，考古学家一直在该项目的各个遗址进行挖掘。锋利的工具和骨头在塞提夫附近的地方被发掘，这个地方距离阿尔及利亚首都阿尔及尔东部约200米远。特别是这些动物骨头让科学家感到激动。Sahnouni博士表示现在很明显人类在60万年前就开始屠宰动物，比之前认为的时间更早。一名西班牙考古学家说道：“对锋利工具的有效利用...表明我们的祖先并不仅仅是拾荒者。”她说尚不清楚他们是否狩猎，但是他们确实为了肉类而和其他动物竞争。现在Sahnouni博士希望找到这些工具的制造者，甚至找到更古老的石器。

1 originated   

v.起源于，来自，产生( originate的过去式和过去分词 )；创造；创始；开创

参考例句：

• The disease is thought to have originated in the tropics. 这种疾病据说起源于热带地区。
• The art of portrait miniatures was originated in England. 微型画像艺术创始于英国。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 cradle   

n.摇篮，策源地，支船架；vt.把...放在摇篮里

参考例句：

• The baby was rocked to sleep in a cradle.婴儿在摇篮里被摇得睡着了。
• Tokyo was the cradle of Japanese culture.东京是日本文化的发源地。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。