Ishango bone

Ishango Bone

The Ishango bone is a very old tool made from bone. It was found in a place called Ishango in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This bone is from a long-ago time called the Upper Paleolithic era. It is dark brown and about as long as a pencil.

People think the Ishango bone might have been used for making marks or designs. It has lines carved in three columns. Some wonder if these lines were used for counting or even to track the moon. Others think the lines might have a different purpose, but we are not sure.

The bone was found by a person named Jean de Heinzelin de Braucourt in 1950. He discovered it near the Semliki River, close to Lake Edward. Today, the bone is kept in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Belgium.

Scientists are still learning about the Ishango bone and what it was used for. It is a special find that helps us learn about people who lived long ago.