Archaeologists have discovered a bone-tipped spear point in a Russian cave that dates back nearly 80,000 years. This artifact reveals that Neanderthals independently developed specialized hunting weapons, reshaping our understanding of their technological abilities long before any contact with Homo sapiens.
A Long-Overlooked Artifact From Mezmaiskaya Cave
In 2003, researchers excavating Mezmaiskaya Cave in the northern Caucasus Mountains of Russia uncovered a prehistoric campsite. Amid the remains of a fire pit and scattered animal bones, they found a small, shaped object that initially attracted little attention: a 9-centimeter spear tip crafted from bison bone.
The site was dated to between 80,000 and 70,000 years ago, placing it firmly within the time of Neanderthal habitation, long before Homo sapiens arrived in the region around 45,000 years ago. Although the artifact was stored for years, it was recently re-examined by a team led by Liubov V. Golovanova and colleagues.
Their analysis, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, confirmed that the point was meticulously carved using stone tools and likely attached to a wooden shaft with an adhesive resembling goudron, a tar-like substance.
Evidence of Skilled Manufacturing
The construction of the weapon demonstrates what researchers call a “nascent level” of bone tool production technology. Though more rudimentary than those made later by modern humans, the spear shows that Neanderthals understood complex processes.
The tar used to haft the spear had to be extracted and refined, indicating knowledge of materials and methods that go beyond simple tool-making. This was not just a piece of bone that happened to be useful. The shape was intentional, and the point was sharpened for aerodynamic performance.
Golovanova’s team found signs that the tool had been used at least once: a small crack at the tip revealed impact damage, supported by micro-CT scans showing a radiating network of fractures consistent with head-on contact during a hunt.
Repairs Reveal the Weapon’s Value
The cracked tip wasn’t simply discarded. Researchers found traces of grinding, suggesting that the damaged section had been smoothed in an effort to repair and reuse the spear.
This attention to maintenance implies that the weapon was valued enough to warrant preservation and points to a deeper understanding of tool longevity.
Such behavior is uncommon in the archaeological record of Neanderthals, especially for projectile weapons, which are rarely found with evidence of bone-based tips.
The discovery represents the earliest known use of a bone-tipped hunting weapon in Europe and adds to a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals employed advanced technologies long before meeting modern humans.
Hunting Strategies and Broader Implications
Bones found at the Mezmaiskaya Cave site include species such as birds, small mammals, bison, deer, early horses, and wild goats. Many of these remains bear cut and scrape marks, showing clear signs of butchering.
The presence of large game suggests that the spear point was part of a broader, organized hunting strategy, rather than a tool for opportunistic foraging.
Although Neanderthals are known to have used bone tools in various tasks—like softening hides or shaping stones—this is the first direct evidence that they worked bone into a carefully designed weapon.
Combined with earlier findings of their use of ochre for decoration and resins for adhesives, this artifact supports the view that Neanderthals developed many aspects of “modern” human behavior independently.