Scientists have discovered evidence that some of the earliest members of the human race, Homo sapiens, were surprisingly advanced.科学家发现了证据表明，人类最早的人智人（Homo Sapiens）令人惊讶地先进。

Scientists say these early humans knew how to use color pigments found in nature, create advanced tools and trade for supplies with other groups of people.科学家说，这些早期的人知道如何使用自然界中发现的颜色色素，创建高级工具和与其他人群的供应。

A report on the discovery was published recently in the journal Science.该发现的报告最近发表在《科学》杂志上。

The scientists said they examined artifacts recovered from southern Kenya. Some of the objects are said to date back to 320,000 years ago. They are about the same age as the earliest-known Homo sapiens fossils found in other parts of Africa.科学家说，他们检查了从肯尼亚南部回收的文物。 据说其中一些物体可以追溯到320，000年前。 它们与在非洲其他地区发现的最早著名的智人化石大约相同。

In the report, the researchers described an ochre pigment that produced a bright-red color. They say this pigment could have been used for body painting. They also found tools made from obsidian, a volcanic rock that can have an extremely sharp edge.在报告中，研究人员描述了一种产生鲜红色颜色的Ocher色素。 他们说这种颜料本可以用于人体彩绘。 他们还发现了用黑曜石制成的工具，这是一种火山岩，可以具有极为锋利的边缘。

The researchers found evidence of obsidian being transported to the Olorgesailie Basin, up to 88 kilometers away from where the rock was found. This discovery led the scientists to believe it had come from another group through trade. But they did not know what was provided in exchange for the obsidian.研究人员发现，黑曜石被运送到距离发现岩石的88公里的Olorgesailie盆地的证据。 这一发现使科学家认为它是通过贸易来自另一个群体的。 但是他们不知道为黑曜石换取了什么。

The researchers said the findings show developments in technology and social structures unexpected so early in human history.研究人员说，调查结果表明，在人类历史的早期，技术和社会结构方面的发展。

Rick Potts is a paleoanthropologist and director of the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. He believes that these newly identified mental and social abilities — including recognition of “distant groups, use of pigments and technologies including projectile points — were at the foundation of our species’ origin.”里克·波茨（Rick Potts）是史密森学会（Smithsonian Institution）在华盛顿特区国家自然历史博物馆的人类人类原产计划的主任，也是人类起源计划。他认为，这些新近确定的心理和社会能力，包括“远处的群体，使用颜料和技术的使用，包括投射点 - 是我们物种起源的基础”。

Alison Brooks, another paleoanthropologist, is with the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Speaking of the pigment, she said, “The choice of importing the ochre from a distance rather than using a more common local material…argues that having a red face or hair or clothing or weapons also carried a symbolic message of some sort.”另一位古人类学家艾莉森·布鲁克斯（Alison Brooks）在华盛顿特区的乔治华盛顿大学（George Washington University）谈到颜料，她说：“选择从远处进口ocher而不是使用更常见的本地材料……认为拥有红色的脸，头发或衣服或武器或武器也带有某种象征性的信息。”

The researchers described the obsidian tools they found as smaller, of better quality, and more specialized than larger stone tools used by earlier human species.研究人员描述了他们发现的黑曜石工具较小，质量更高，并且比早期人类使用的更大的石材工具更专业。

The obsidian was used in a number of tools with sharp or pointy edges. The rock was also found in small, sharp points that could be placed at the end of a piece of wood or bone for use as a weapon.黑曜石被用于许多具有锋利或尖端边缘的工具。 还发现了岩石的小点，可以放在木头或骨头的末端，以用作武器。