New study: Humans collected souvenirs as far back as half a million years ago

In depth

Researchers from Tel Aviv University propose that early humans collected souvenirs as far back as half a million years ago. According to the study, colorful stones, flint tools and fossils found at ancient sites in Israel are the main evidence for this. The researchers hypothesize that objects like these helped humans remember places and events from their lives.

The study suggests that keeping such objects influenced the development of personal memory and the sense of self. Another study conducted recently offers an explanation for the familiar human habit of attaching to objects collected on trips, and its roots may go back hundreds of thousands of years.

The habit of keeping souvenirs is considered part of human nature, and the finds at sites in Israel add historical depth to it. The researchers expect to continue examining the connection between the objects that were kept and the memory and identity of early humans.