The oldest man-made structure built 23,000 years ago predates the Great Pyramid of Giza

The Theopetra Cave in Thessaly, Greece, houses what is widely considered the oldest known human-made structure: a stone wall constructed approximately 23,000 years ago, predating the Great Pyramid of Kheops by approximately 16,000 years.

This wall, built during the Upper Paleolithic period, partially sealed the cave entrance—likely serving as protection against the harsh glacial climate of the time. Its age was determined using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating, a technique that measures the last time mineral grains were exposed to sunlight.

The Theopetra Cave itself has been a site of continuous human habitation for over 130,000 years, spanning the Middle Paleolithic to the Neolithic periods. Excavations have revealed a rich stratigraphy, including hearths, tools, and even children’s footprints, providing valuable insights into the lives of its ancient inhabitants.

After Theopetra’s wall, the next oldest major settlement is Turkey’s Çatalhöyük, which dates to 7,400 BCE. Following that are various European megalithic structures from around 5,000-3,000 BCE.

This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the timeline of human architectural development, suggesting that early humans possessed the cognitive and social capabilities to modify their environment for shelter much earlier than previously believed.

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The structure, closed to the public to protect its fragile archaeological treasures, continues to fascinate scientists and stands as a testament to human ingenuity, creativity and will power to thrive.

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