The World’s Oldest Intact Spears

It was long thought that ancient people such as Homo heidelbergensis used only thrusting spears, if they used such weapons at all. They were not thought to have been intelligent enough, or technologically advanced enough, to have developed spears that could actually be thrown. The Schöningen spears, along with the similarly old Clacton spear tip, have caused researchers to rethink their positions.

Three intact spears were initially discovered in 1992 by archaeologist Hartmut Thieme of the Institute of Ancient Monuments in Hanover, Germany. He found them in an active lignite mine, in an area roughly 30 to 50 feet (8 to 15 meters) below the surface. Since then, five more have been discovered. Radiocarbon dating has now confirmed that these weapons range in age from about 380,000 to 400,000 years.

The spears, each more than 6 feet to about 7.5 feet long, were carefully shaped to form a center of gravity a third of the way from the tip. This proportion is still used in modern javelins to allow them to fly farther and more accurately. Each was made from spruce tree trunks, each about 30 years old when harvested, with the tip formed from the harder lower end of the trunk. The similarity of construction shows that they were not randomly carved, but rather that their makers were working to a standard pattern.

The spears were not found in an archaeological vacuum. Archaeologists have recovered thousands of pieces of bone, many of which bore cut marks made by flint tools. The flints themselves were discovered along with grooved wooden "handles" which may have held them to create knives and fleshing tools. If that is the case, the flints and wooden "handles" may be examples of the oldest composite tools known in the world.

Prior to the discovery of the Schöningen spears, it was thought that only modern humans could have developed the design and construction skills needed to create them. They also may shed light on the hunting methods of these ancient people. The bones found at the site include elephant, horse, and deer. These animals are not easily killed by lone hunters, so the implication is that the people who created and used the spears hunted in groups. This would have required the ability to plan and carry out organized hunting expeditions.

The discovery of the Schöningen spears caused a sensation when it was announced. It also helped in establishing the credibility of the 500,000 spear fragment found at Clacton, England in 1911 found in deposits of comparable age to those of Schöningen. It is astonishing that the Schöningen spears survived at all, but the issues raised by their existence still have some experts scratching their heads and rethinking their positions regarding the intelligence of these ancient and remarkable people.

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