This Might Be the Earliest Known Spear Murder In Earth’s History
A 75,000-year-old Neanderthal from Shanidar Cave may have died from a spear strike.
404 Media's science roundup leads with a Scientific Reports study of Shanidar A, a Neanderthal found in Shanidar Cave whose shoulder blade preserves a fatal spear wound from about 75,000 years ago. Researchers led by Emma Pomeroy of the University of Cambridge say the body was likely intentionally buried, though they cannot tell whether the strike was homicide or a hunting accident. The column also covers a machine-learning reanalysis of pre-Sputnik astronomical transients and a Science Advances study of wealth inequality in roughly 2,300 ancient burials in China's Central Plain.
- Shanidar A, a Neanderthal from Iraqi Kurdistan, shows a fatal spear puncture about 75,000 years ago.
- A separate study used machine learning on pre-1957 plates to recheck unexplained astronomical transients.
- Researchers also analyzed about 2,300 ancient burials in China's Central Plain for early wealth inequality.
- Organizations
- University of CambridgeVanderbilt University
From the original article
6 min read at 404media.co
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.
By Becky Ferreira · 404media.co
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