Ancient Spears Unearthed in Germany Rewrite Neanderthal History—What They Reveal Will Shock You
The Discovery Of Prehistoric Spears In The German Town Of Schöningen
The Schöningen spears are made of spruce and pine, measure six-eight feet long, and are among the oldest known hunting weapons ever found. They were first discovered more than 25 years ago in an open-pit coal mine alongside the remains of nearly 50 horses, which had likely been killed with the spears.
Wikimedia CommonsThe fossilized horse bones found near the spears.
When researchers first found the spears, they estimated that the site was between 300,000 and 400,000 years old, based on the ages of the sediment layers above and below. That estimate led researchers to suspect the spears had been made by Homo heidelbergensis, likely the last common ancestor of both Neanderthals and modern humans.
But according to a new report published in Science Advances, more recent research has changed the timeline of the spears’ construction and use. Now, based on dates obtained from snail shells at the site, researchers believe the spears may only be 200,000 years old, suggesting they were in fact created by Neanderthals.
This, researchers say, suggests that Neanderthal brain development and social structure were more advanced than previously believed.
How The Schöningen Spears Reveal Neanderthals’ Surprising Intelligence
Wikimedia CommonsOne of the Schöningen spears in situ upon its discovery, circa 1997.
Every dating methods has its own set of limitations, making it difficult to get an accurate age estimate for prehistoric objects, especially ones as old as these spears. Radiocarbon dating, for example, is incredibly precise but is only effective for artifacts up to 60,000 years old.
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