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Whales, as the largest mammals on Earth, have long been an important resource for human societies, whether it be for food, oil, or other materials. According to a report by Popular Science, hunter-gatherers in present-day Spain and France have been crafting essential tools from whale bones for much longer than previously thought. A new study analyzed 83 bone tools found at sites along the Bay of Biscay and 90 additional bones from the Santa Catalina cave in Spain. The investigation relied on mass spectrometry and radiocarbon dating to determine that humans living in the region have been making whale-bone tools,...

Whalebone mask may rewrite Aleut history By ALEX deMARBAN ademarban@adn.com Published: July 28, 2007 Last Modified: July 28, 2007 at 04:08 AMED ARTHUR / Cultural Resource Consultants LLCArchaeologists excavating on Amaknak Island in the Aleutians have discovered what may be a piece of the oldest-known Unangam whalebone mask. Archaeologists unearthing an ancient village from an Unalaska hillside believe they've found the remains of the oldest-known Aleut whalebone mask. Much of the mask is missing -- it's mostly intact above where the cheekbones would sit -- but archaeologists are pretty sure it's about 3,000 years old, said Mike Yarborough, lead archaeologist...