Geneste, Jean-MichelDavid, Bruno O.Plisson, HuguesClarkson, ChrisDelannoy, Jean-JacquesPetchey, FionaWhear, Ray2011-02-182011-02-182010Geneste, J.-M., David, B., Plisson, H., Clarkson, C., Delannoy, J.-J.,…, Whear, R. (2010). Earliest evidence for ground-edge axes: 35,400±410 cal BP from Jawoyn Country, Arnhem Land. Australian Archaeology, 71, 66-69.https://hdl.handle.net/10289/5067Evidence for the world’s earliest stone tools dates to 3.4 million years ago and pre-dates the earliest known Homo species in eastern Africa. However ground-edged tools did not appear until the dispersal of cognitively fully modern Homo sapiens sapiens out of Africa. We report on the discovery of the earliest securely dated ground-edge implement in the world at Nawarla Gabarnmang (northern Australia). The fragment of ground-edge axe is sandwiched between four statistically indistinguishable AMS radiocarbon dates of 35,400±410 cal BP, indicating technological innovations by fully modern Homo sapiens sapiens at the eastern end of the Out-of-Africa 2 Southern Arc dispersal route.application/pdfenThis article is published in the journal: Australian Archaeology.ground-edgedHomo sapiensJournal Article10.1080/03122417.2010.11689385