Wound on 75,000-year-old Neanderthal suggests lethal wooden spear use

Archaeologists found a 15mm hole on a shoulder blade of a Neanderthal, Shanidar A, who died 75,000 years ago in a cave in Iraqi Kurdistan. Researchers suggest a sharpened wooden spear struck through the chest, potentially damaging a lung and major blood vessels, exiting through the left shoulder blade. This evidence, along with other findings, suggests Neanderthal societies experienced more violence than previously thought, and the wound may be the earliest evidence of lethal interpersonal violence from a wooden spear in the prehistoric Middle East. While the study lead author, Dr Emma Pomeroy, noted the violence is not certain and could be a hunting accident, Prof Chris Stringer suggested an attack by a rival is more plausible.