300,000 year-old Homo Heidelbergensis Spearheads Worlds Oldest

300,000 year-old Homo Heidelbergensis Spearheads Worlds Oldest
(phys.org)

Finds from early stone age site in north-central Germany show that human ingenuity is nothing new – and was probably shared by now-extinct species of humans.

Archeologists from the University of Tübingen have found eight extremely well-preserved spears – an astonishing 300,000 years old, making them the oldest known weapons anywhere. The spears and other artifacts as well as animal remains found at the site demonstrate that their users were highly skilled craftsmen and hunters, well adapted to their environment – with a capacity for abstract thought and complex planning comparable to our own. It is likely that they were members of the species homo heidelbergensis, although no human remains have yet been found at the site.

Homo Heidelbergensis occupied Europe from about 700 KYA to 200 KYA, and considered to be the direct ancestor of both Neanderthals and Modern Humans.

The previous "most oldest" weapons were the Schöningen Spears, discovered in Germany, also dated to about 300 KYA.

Anyhoo, just thought I'd post this for those of you keeping a list of "World's Most Ancient Weapons". I know some of you are, right? Please don't tell me I'm the only one....

I am not surprised, I am of the belief that as technology increases and we look deeper into the earth we will uncover a great deal of things that will brush current assumptions of the origin of man aside.
I believe that Man has risen a number of times to an advanced level only to retreat back to a primitive society due to
earth changing cataclysms and maybe even wars.
I cant prove it, I just feel it.

Wow, great post..........thanks.

Originally posted by kudegras
I am not surprised, I am of the belief that as technology increases and we look deeper into the earth we will uncover a great deal of things that will brush current assumptions of the origin of man aside.
I believe that Man has risen a number of times to an advanced level only to retreat back to a primitive society due to
earth changing cataclysms and maybe even wars.
I cant prove it, I just feel it.

I also agree with your statement. I feel the same way. Most will say that it isnt true because we don't have physical proof but after so many years, even metals would likely be decomposed (I think) so this would make it really hard to find. There is no way of knowing without a doubt but I strongly feel this is the case.

I am under the impression that the way today's scientists use for back dating archeological find (carbon dating?) is not as accurate as they make it out to be. I do not have proof of this, this is just me talking. my own opinion.

Great thread OP, S&F for you

Howdy Blackmarketeer

Ah the Schoningen spears have been dethrone eh? Reading the articles they seem to be talking about the Schoningen spears, this appears to be rehash of those discoveries. This wouldn't be the first time a journalist has made a hash of things. Perhaps someone could clarify.

Comment:

The evidence we have now shows a slow, halting rise to higher technology there is no sign of recurrent 'spikes' of technology. Do cultures rise and fall? Yes the Maya are a good example, do tribal groups lose technical abiltiies, yes the Tasmanians appeared to have done so. Is there any evidence that ancient people had civilizations? Nope

Feelings are great but at the present time no such civilizations, nor hints of them have come to light

There is no way in the world, that human civilization is 5,000 years old.

reply to post by SparkOfSparks6


Based on? What definition of civilization are you using?

Originally posted by Hanslune

Howdy Blackmarketeer

Ah the Schoningen spears have been dethrone eh? Reading the articles they seem to be talking about the Schoningen spears, this appears to be rehash of those discoveries. This wouldn't be the first time a journalist has made a hash of things. Perhaps someone could clarify.

Comment:

The evidence we have now shows a slow, halting rise to higher technology there is no sign of recurrent 'spikes' of technology. Do cultures rise and fall? Yes the Maya are a good example, do tribal groups lose technical abiltiies, yes the Tasmanians appeared to have done so. Is there any evidence that ancient people had civilizations? Nope

Feelings are great but at the present time no such civilizations, nor hints of them have come to light

edit on 18/9/12 by Hanslune because: (no reason given)

Hanslune....nice seeing you again (read many of your posts lately without commenting, so it guess it is you who have not seen me!).

Well stated. The most scentific thing I have read in a while. You admit that it is possible, but that is not currently part of our reality.

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan

Originally posted by Hanslune

Howdy Blackmarketeer

Ah the Schoningen spears have been dethrone eh? Reading the articles they seem to be talking about the Schoningen spears, this appears to be rehash of those discoveries. This wouldn't be the first time a journalist has made a hash of things. Perhaps someone could clarify.

Comment:

The evidence we have now shows a slow, halting rise to higher technology there is no sign of recurrent 'spikes' of technology. Do cultures rise and fall? Yes the Maya are a good example, do tribal groups lose technical abiltiies, yes the Tasmanians appeared to have done so. Is there any evidence that ancient people had civilizations? Nope

Feelings are great but at the present time no such civilizations, nor hints of them have come to light

edit on 18/9/12 by Hanslune because: (no reason given)

Hanslune....nice seeing you again (read many of your posts lately without commenting, so it guess it is you who have not seen me!).

Well stated. The most scentific thing I have read in a while. You admit that it is possible, but that is not currently part of our reality.

Hey big furry

Actually I was working on a project then on vacation for about a month...that's pretty much it. I would suspect we won't find any 'civilizations' but we will find more cultures and I think we might find organized villages going back 15,000+ years and maybe clan/family orgnizations going back to 80,000 +. We've got some stuff going back 30,000+ already so that isn't unreasonable

I hate to be a troll, not now or ever! But...

This is what gets me. If it's as simple as a rock chipped by lord knows what (crows), then we jump the bandwagon and say the primitive cavemen most probably 1000% did it. I honestly just don\t know who or what did that. you dig?

I say crows.

But then if it get's complicated, like mechanical computers or laser cut stones or what have you, then it is way beyond comprehension therefore in the realm of fantasy.

I think i hear the creationists coming! Quick hide your text books

Very interesting article.

I can only imagine the excitment when our ancestors discovered , or rediscovered , sharp weapons. Revolutionary in its time.

reply to post by headb


The chipped edges all the way around show that this was shaped using some kind of tool. It did not come out of the earth with those edges and it certainly wasnt done by a crow but I really dont believe you meant that anyway.

reply to post by Blackmarketeer


the object pictured is a cutting knife for cleaning game, not a spear point. if they got that wrong, what else did they confuse?

Very interesting post! Thanks!

I also wanted to share some interesting information about Ancient civilization in Russia and the ancient town caleld Arkaim:
www.youtube.com...

Actually i don’t know if you guys have ever heard of the debated "Hueyatlaco" site where spearheads have been found supposedly dating back almost 250 000 years plus, this site was so controversial in ended one Virginia Steen-McIntyre's career, there is a long but great video on this whole case that I’ve embedded below. The difference between this site and any site in Europe is that according to mainstream theory there should have been no early hominid’s in this part of the world at that time.

Originally posted by sirbadazz
reply to post by Blackmarketeer

 

the object pictured is a cutting knife for cleaning game, not a spear point. if they got that wrong, what else did they confuse?

I think you can blame the journalist for that one!

reply to post by Blackmarketeer


Another fantastic find SnF Blackmarketeer. I wonder do scientist try to do DNA samples of these artifacts wen they find them to build a library if possible and to detect any genetic changes in the species observed from find to find.

reply to post by soul44


Virginia Steen-McIntyre's career wasn't ended - oh and if it was 'suppressed' how come I read about it my second year Archaeology studies? I think you mean it was controversial.... oh and it wasn't her excavation she was a grad student, it was excavated by Cynthia Irwin-Williams and discovered by Juan Armenta Camacho.

If you are interested you may wish to read the book by Charlie Hatchett on the subject

Originally posted by Hanslune
reply to post by soul44

 

Virginia Steen-McIntyre's career wasn't ended - oh and if it was 'suppressed' how come I read about it my second year Archaeology studies? I think you mean it was controversial.... oh and it wasn't her excavation she was a grad student, it was excavated by Cynthia Irwin-Williams and discovered by Juan Armenta Camacho.

If you are interested you may wish to read the book by Charlie Hatchett on the subject

I knew it wasn't her excavation but none the less thought that her credibility would have been disregarded due to her involvement at this site, so you say they actually teach this in archeology studies ? I find that interesting as i thought they would have not even mentioned this in studies anywhere i guess it goes to show how much i know.Thanks you for bringing that to light.

reply to post by soul44


Depends on the school but it usually shows up in classes on archaeological field techniques as an example of the problems you can have with stratification, in current controversies* and dealing with the public.

*it's rather an old cased so more modern ones are taking it place, the Bosnian pyramids are popular now as I understand it. I don't have a recent copy of Colin Renfrew's Archaeology, theories and practice, to see if it is still there