Science

Fatal Neanderthal wound may be earliest evidence of a wooden spear attack on a human ancestor

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Briefings

A Neanderthal partial skeleton from Iraqi Kurdistan shows a round hole in the shoulder blade, potentially the first evidence of a lethal wooden spear attack in the hominin fossil record. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the earliest human violence and weapon use, suggesting a specific type of injury that requires further analysis to confirm its nature.

Key points

• A round hole was found in the shoulder blade (scapula) of a Neanderthal partial skeleton.
• The injury is dated to approximately 40,000 years ago, representing the earliest known lethal interpersonal violence with a wooden spear in the hominin fossil record.

Context

This finding is significant as it shifts the timeline of human violence, suggesting that complex weaponry and interpersonal conflict may have emerged earlier than previously thought in the archaeological record.

Limitations

The evidence is limited to a single partial skeleton from a specific cave in Iraqi Kurdistan. The round hole's exact nature, whether it is a true spear wound or an alternative injury mechanism, remains uncertain without further analysis. The study is still in progress and does not provide a definitive conclusion on the weapon type or the specific incident.

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