Early humans were using sophisticated stone-tipped spears at least 90,000 years ago, new technique shows
A study has discovered that early humans began hurling stone-tipped spears and darts at large prey at least 90,000 years ago.
There has been debate surrounding the precise date that early man began to use stone-tipped spears - with some experts suggesting their use as far back as 500,000 years ago - but until now, evidence to prove theories had been lacking.
The throwing of spears was an important development because by throwing instead of thrusting, humans could hunt buffalo and other game from a safer distance, and with less risk of mauling.
Archaeologist Corey O'Driscoll, of South East Archaeology in Canberra, Australia, shaped flint reproductions of spear and arrow points from the Middle Stone Age in Africa and attached them to wooden shafts, according to a report in Science Now.
Together with a group of University of Queensland students, O'Driscoll ran 15 experiments, throwing replica spears with bows or a calibrated crossbow at lamb and cow carcasses.
More... The Minoans were Caucasian: DNA debunks longstanding theory that Europe's first advanced culture was from Africa Why you should never trust an ape: Researchers reveal how lying may have evolved in ANIMALSAfter boiling the carcasses or burying them for rapid defleshing by microbes and insects, he found 758 wounds on the bones, which he examined microscopically, and compared to 201 cut marks in an experimentally created reference collection of butchered animal bones.
The results showed 'quite a difference between the butchering marks and projectile impact marks,' and revealed six types of distinctive projectile impact wounds, from drag marks to fracture marks and punctures.
Using the new technique, archaeologists discovered that the marks made by projectile or thrown spears (left) were quite different from marks made by spears used to simple stab or cut into the bone (right)O'Driscoll also noted that most projectile impact marks were located on vertebrae or rib bones and that 17 per cent of the marks overall - and 50 per cent of the punctures - held microscopic fragments of stone from the flint points, due to the high speed of impact. By contrast, none of the butchering marks contained such stone fragments, another key distinction.
These findings prompted O'Driscoll and the University of Queensland's Jessica Thompson to take a new look at three bone specimens from large unidentified mammals - a rib and two vertebrae - from Pinnacle Point Cave in South Africa.
Using O'Driscoll's diagnostic criteria, the pair identified projectile impact marks on all three bones.
Experts have debated the precise date at which early man started to use stone-tipped spears for many years, but until now evidence to back up the various theories were lackingTwo dated to between 91,000 and 98,000 years ago and the third dated even earlier, between 153,000 and 174,000 years ago - making them the oldest direct evidence of the use of projectile weapons.
Archaeologist Tiina Manne at the University of Queensland also finds the identification of projectile impact marks—at least on the two later bones—highly persuasive: 'This strongly suggests that projectile technology at Pinnacle Point was in use by at least 90 to 95,000 years ago,' she says. But she's less convinced by the evidence on the oldest bone, noting that only a 'single grain' of stone from the projectile point was embedded in the bone.
O'Driscoll's thesis will be published by the Australian Archaeological Association in June.
