Weapons, Tools and Technology: the Wooden Finds from Spear Horizon (Schöningen 13II 4): 5

The former lakeshore site Schöningen, dating back to c. 300,000 years ago, is an outstanding environmental archive of the Middle Pleistocene and provides unique insights into past hunter-gatherer life. This volume provides an overview of the wooden assemblage from the Spear Horizon at Schöningen, the largest Palaeolithic wood assemblage worldwide. The former lakeshore site Schöningen dating to Marine Isotope Stage 9 (c. 300,000 years ago) is an outstanding environmental archive of the Middle Pleistocene and provides unique insights into past hunter-gatherer lifeways. The extraordinary discovery of the first completely preserved wooden weapons of humankind represents a hallmark of prehistoric research that considerably changed our perspective on early hominins. Since 2021 a research team has systematically analysed the wooden assemblage from the famous Spear Horizon (Schöningen 13 II-4) with financial support of German Research Foundation (DFG). For the first time, this volume provides an overview of the well-preserved material which is the largest Palaeolithic wood assemblage worldwide. The study brings to light 188 wooden artefacts made of spruce, larch, and pine. A minimum of 25 hunting weapons is recognised including spears, throwing sticks and numerous point and shaft fragments. With a particular focus on woodworking technology and tool recycling, the new findings bear implications for the interpretation of Schöningen as a hunting/butchering site. Moreover, the study allows new insights into human evolution and cognitive capacity c. 300,000 years ago.

Pagina's: 800, Editie: Eerste editie, Hardcover, LEIBNIZ-ZENTRUM