This Might Be the Earliest Known Spear Murder In Earth’s History
Archaeologists have discovered a puncture wound from a spear in the shoulder blade of a Neanderthal that lived 75,000 years ago, offering a possible glimpse of early interpersonal violence.
A 75,000-year-old Neanderthal individual from Shanidar Cave in what is now Iraqi Kurdistan died from a spear wound to the chest, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. The remains of the individual, named Shanidar A, showed the spear puncture in the shoulder blade, suggesting that the weapon was impaled through the heart to the back.
Further examination revealed a brutal face injury that had partially healed at the time of death, indicating that the Neanderthal had been cared for while recovering from the non-fatal wound. The body was buried in a small area of the cave that contained other Neanderthal remains, suggesting intentional burial. The discovery of Shanidar A adds to evidence of Neanderthal compassion and care during and after death, and may represent one of the earliest direct examples of interpersonal violence in any hominin.
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