Archaeologists say Neanderthal wound may be from wooden spear
A hole in a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal shoulder blade found at Shanidar Cave in Iraq may have come from a deadly strike by a wooden spear.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
Archaeologists say a rare hole in the shoulder blade of a Neanderthal who lived 75,000 years ago at Shanidar Cave in Iraq may be a fatal strike from a wooden spear. A separate report says a 400,000-year-old spear found in Clacton could be linked to the discovery of that Neanderthal's body.
Why it matters
If confirmed, the findings would indicate that the Neanderthal died from a spear wound.
Timeline
- Oct 15, 11:00 AM ET: Archaeologists report a hole in a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal shoulder blade from Shanidar Cave, possibly caused by a wooden spear.
- Oct 16, 10:00 AM ET: A 400,000-year-old spear discovered in Clacton could be linked to the Neanderthal's body.
Coverage
- 400,000-year-old Clacton spear linked to ancient death (clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk)
- Mysterious hole in Neanderthal shoulder blade may have been a 'kill shot' from a wooden spear, according to archaeologists (livescience.com)
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