Crafting a streamlined, aerodynamic spear point from bone and affixing it to a shaft using tar, which required extraction and refinement, showcases advanced knowledge and skill. Research indicates that Neanderthals developed these techniques independently, rather than adopting them from modern humans through any form of knowledge transfer. In their study, Golovanova and colleagues remarked that the technology for bone-tipped hunting weapons employed by Neanderthals represents an early stage compared to those utilized and introduced by modern humans.
Slightly damaged, use at own risk
Magnified images reveal the impact damage to the tip of the spear point.
Credit:
Golovanova et al. 2025
A noticeable crack at the tip of the spear point suggests that it had seen action, as a Neanderthal hunter used it to strike something. Golovanova and colleagues studied the damage, finding a network of cracks that radiated from the original break, resembling damage typically observed from head-on impacts in other archaeological bone tools and experimental studies.
Furthermore, it appears that the bone spear point was valuable enough to attempt repair, evidenced by scratches indicating grinding, likely performed with a stone tool to smooth the crack.
What types of prey the Neanderthals at Mezmaiskaya Cave hunted has been inferred from bones identified in the cave, many showing evidence of cutting and scraping. The evidence suggests they hunted various species, including smaller birds and mammals, as well as larger game like bison, deer, ancestors of modern horses, and wild sheep and goats.
The point is, interspecies interactions are complicated
Archaeologists have uncovered extensive evidence that Neanderthals employed bone tools for diverse purposes, ranging from modifying stone implements to processing animal hides. The discovery of the bone projectile point marks the first indication that Neanderthals were capable of skillfully shaping bone rather than simply utilizing naturally suitable pieces for functional tasks.
The methods used to meticulously craft bone, alongside the decoration techniques involving ocher and the employment of tar and resin for fastening, are characteristics associated with what anthropologists define as “modern” human behavior. This suggests that both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals independently mastered similar skills prior to their interaction.
It is plausible that exchanges of technology occurred between the two groups over time, indicating a more complex interaction than previously thought, challenging earlier beliefs of a one-sided technological transfer.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106223; (About DOIs).
