In Search of the First Projectile Point (Part 1)

The emergence of the first complex projectile weapon is hotly contested and extremely difficult to pin point in the archaeological record. Not only do wooden bows and atalatls decay rapidly and rarely survive to the modern day, the morphology of arrowheads is so varied that it is difficult to determine their precise purpose. Current theories attribute the invention of this technology to the behaviorally modern humans who migrated out of Africa in the Late Palaeolithic period around 45,000 years ago. However, recent studies are pushing that date back to the Middle Paleolithic of South Africa.

Location of Sibudu Cave, South Africa 

Above: Bone Points recovered from the Howiesons Poort Layers of the Sibudu Cave site

Below: Ethnographic Bushman Points, Type 3

Lucinda Backwell et al. from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa conducted a morphometric analysis of the bone implements recovered from the site with promising results. The researchers compared the artifacts with similar bone tools from MSA and Later Stone Age (LSA) deposits (Blombos Cave, Klasies River Mouth, and Peers Cave) as well as with ethnographic samples of African Bushman assemblages. Overall, the points differ in size and morphology from those from Blombos Cave which are larger and were more likely used as spear point. Moreover, the morphology, texture, and use-wear evident on the samples revealed remarkable similarities to that of fixed bone arrow points used by Bushman. The identification of the Sibudu Cave bone points as possible projectile points is further supported by the associated faunal remains found. The predominance of small game at the site, such as the blue duiker and the Gambian giant rat, indicates the presence of a closed forested environment in which the use of a bow and arrow would have been more effective than spear-hunting. Although more analysis needs to be done, Backwell’s findings support the idea of the origin of complex projectile point technology in the MSA.

 

References:

Shea, J. J. 2003. “The Middle Paleolithic of the East Mediterranean Levant.” Journal of World

Prehistory 17: 313-394.

Backwell, L., F. d’Erroco, and L. Wadley. 2008. “Middle Stone Age Bone Tools from

Howiesons Poort Layers, Sibudu Cave, South Africa.” Journal of Archaeological 
Science 35: 1566-1580.