Spears for big game appeared between the Paleozoic and Mesozoic periods. They are probably the oldest weapons of man, and possibly also one of his first tools.
The spear evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. It went from a simple stick with a sharp tip, to a balanced projectile for defense, becoming the most effective handgun for big game hunting.
Prehistoric spears
The history of the spear goes back to before man is the way he is today, to the time of the first hominids, where he dominated the big game, and imposed the rules on the battlefields of history and prehistory.
This story is very important for the study of the biological, social and cultural evolution of the human being.
Spears can be identified by two categories, the rapier spear, and the thrown one. The rapier is the most effective edged weapon of all time, the predecessor of the knife. It was for personal protection against wild animals.
It was the first weapon that allowed man to face a predator with a chance of survival. Those that are for big game are thrown.
Paleozoic and Mesozoic
According to Carleton Coon (North American anthropologist, 1904-1981), the appearance of the spear dates back 250,000 years.
A complete spear made of yew has been found inside a straight-tusked elephant in Germany. Its age is estimated at 115,000 to 125,000 years.
But in 1995, Dr Hartmut Thieme found in Schöningen, Germany, eight incredibly well-preserved spears between 300,000 and 400,000 years old. Animal remains found at the site indicate that its creators were well-qualified artisans.
Although no human remains were found at the same site, it is noteworthy that they were well adapted for hunting larger game.
The spears found were of the throwing type, about two meters long, carved from fir. The tips were wide, where the wood is strongest, near the root, with a thinner and sharper end.
These spears were very heavy weapons, which leads to the conclusion that those who used them were of a race of strong build.
These are the oldest spears that have been found to date. In the archaeological context in which they were found, everything indicates that they were used to hunt horses.
What was possibly a fireplace was found at the site, indicating that the people who used them could think, plan or live in community.
In 1911 a spearhead was found in Clacton, England, dating from the same time as those in Germany.
Primitive humans
Early humans were not formidable hunters, but rather easy prey. The very physiognomy of man says that he could not run fast, dig to hide, and did not possess claws to fight and defend himself.
For predators they were easy prey and obtained without much effort. Because the first big game spears were made of wood, without the addition of other more perishable material, they have not survived the passage of time.
The former are believed to have been used to "hunt" fish as a throwing weapon. Being near seas or rivers gave man a place to protect himself in case of attack.
References
- "The spear: an effective weapon since ancient times". In Robert E. Dohrenwend (2007). Recovered in September 2017 from Robert E. Dohrenwend: revpubli.unileon.es
- "The oldest spears in the world were created and used by Homo heidelbergensis." In Paleorama en Red. Prehistory and Archeology on the Internet (September 2012). Recovered in September 2017 from Paleorama en Red. Prehistory and Archeology on the Internet: paleorama.wordpress.com
- "AFRICA AND THE EURASIAN WEST: HOMO HEILDELBERGENSIS". In Learn Online (April 2016). Recovered in September 2017 from Learn Online: aprendeenlinea.udea.edu.co
- «Prehistory» In History of Sciences and Techniques. Recovered in September 2017 in History of Sciences and Techniques: oei.es.