Thursday, October 15, 2026
Science

Fatal Neanderthal wound may be earliest evidence of a wooden spear attack on a human ancestor

A round hole in the shoulder blade (scapula) of a Neanderthal whose partial remains were unearthed in a cave in Iraqi Kurdistan may be the earliest known example of lethal interpersonal violence with a wooden spear in the hominin fossil record.

Fatal Neanderthal wound may be earliest evidence of a wooden spear attack on a human ancestor
Image: Phys.org
A round hole in the shoulder blade (scapula) of a Neanderthal whose partial remains were unearthed in a cave in Iraqi Kurdistan may be the earliest known example of lethal interpersonal violence with a wooden spear in the hominin fossil record.

Originally published at Phys.org

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