Neanderthal's Violent End: Earliest Wooden Spear Killing Revealed in Iraqi Cave

The skeletal remains of a Neanderthal discovered in a cave in Iraqi-Kurdistan indicate a violent demise, occurring after a prolonged period of care for injuries sustained over a year prior. A study reveals that this death, dating back 75,000 years, likely involved a sharpened wooden spear, potentially marking the earliest known instance of lethal violence with such a weapon, according to archaeologists.

A 15mm circular perforation in the shoulder blade suggests a fatal "heart shot," where the spear was thrust downwards, passing entirely through the body for a swift death. Researchers, in a study published in Scientific Reports, noted that tiny displaced bone shards, when pieced together, illustrated how the spear penetrated the body. They also stated that a spear tip made of flint would have produced a different type of wound.

Further evidence from the remains, including notably damaged teeth, suggests the individual, estimated to be around 45 years old at death, had suffered a severe facial injury at least a year before, requiring care from others. Professor Graeme Barker of St John’s College, Cambridge, who led the excavation, commented, "It is fascinating to have evidence for both compassion and violence amongst Neanderthals, our closest evolutionary cousins, embodied in this one individual."

Researchers have named the Neanderthal "Shanidar A," after Shanidar Cave located on Bradost Mountain in Erbil, where the remains were found. The scapula bone, or shoulder blade, was exceptionally preserved intact under rock and sediment, alongside a mostly complete right hand and two ribs. Dr. Emma Pomeroy, the study's lead author from Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology, described the preservation as extraordinary, noting the thinness of such bones often prevents complete scapulae from surviving even in modern burials.

The earliest known rounded wooden spear, discovered in Clacton-on-Sea, England, dates back over 400,000 years. However, wooden artifacts from prehistory are rare due to decomposition. Some waterlogged spear examples, dating to around 200,000 years ago when early Neanderthals inhabited Europe, were found in Schoningen, Germany, in the 1990s. These spears, approximately two meters long, were likely used for throwing, similar to modern javelins, for hunting large game.

The researchers believe a comparable weapon caused Shanidar A's death. Dr. Pomeroy stated, "Holes left by recreations of spears from this time are an excellent fit for the one we found in the Neanderthal scapula." She added, "What evidence we have suggests that Neanderthals and their ancestors developed woodworking and weapon-making skills many thousands of years before the death of Shanidar A."

While a hunting accident is a possibility, the evidence points more strongly towards deliberate violence. Dr. Pomeroy suggested that hunting large animals like mammoths at close range with thrusting spears could easily result in lethal injuries, and the specific wound location and force indicate an intended "kill shot" towards the heart. Although early humans co-existed with Neanderthals, violence among Neanderthals themselves appears to be a more probable explanation.

Professor Barker concluded, "All we can ever know about the end of this Neanderthal’s life is that it was violent, and came at the end of a wooden spear."

Further examination revealed one of the seven teeth found was split lengthwise, with significant tartar buildup on the exposed root, indicating it remained in the mouth for some time after a facial blow. "Surviving a trauma that splits a tooth in this fashion, then continuing to live and eat for at least a year would have required care and support from other Neanderthals," Dr. Pomeroy explained. It is speculated that Shanidar A may have been fed soft food, supported by previous research indicating plant soaking for cooking around the same period in Shanidar Cave.

Professor Barker noted, "There’s no doubt that Shanidar A would have had difficulty communicating and been in absolute agony for a long period of time." He further reflected on the dual nature of Neanderthal existence, stating, "The remains of Shanidar A reflect the dual nature of so much of what we recognise as human. On the one hand, we have evidence of a terribly violent end. On the other, this was clearly an individual who was cared for during their lifetime."

Shanidar Cave, situated in the foothills of Iraqi Kurdistan, is a significant Neanderthal site. Previous excavations in the 1950s by Ralph Solecki uncovered remains of 10 individuals, including a cluster of four found together despite dying at different times, suggesting Neanderthals returned to bury their dead. Remains from another Neanderthal found in the cave, who lived much later, showed evidence of paralysis, arthritis, deafness, and partial blindness, yet had lived a long life, indicating they too received care.

Shanidar A is among five Neanderthals unearthed in 2020 from a small section of the cave, positioned behind a large boulder believed to be a marker. The body was laid on its back, facing east. Dr. Pomeroy noted the consistent practice of Neanderthals returning to the same location to lay their dead to rest, with some burials occurring within years or decades of each other.