The spears were developed by a common ancestor of our species and Neanderthals

2012/11/19 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Eboluzioa

Recently the journal Nature published an article based on the first arrows discovered. Now Science has published an investigation on an even older weapon, the lantz.

On this occasion, researchers have analyzed some of the stone tips found in the archaeological zone of Kathu Pan (South Africa). They are 500,000 years ago and, according to the researchers, they were placed at the ends of the sticks to launch. According to this, the lanthanz technology developed 200,000 years before what was previously thought.

In the article it is explained that the conducts that the Homo sapiens and the Neanderthal had in common could have been inherited from the previous common ancestor, the Homo heildelbergensis, among others, the technology to launch. According to experts, our species and Neanderthals were separated between 800,000 and 400,000 years ago, and researchers have shown that 780,000 years ago hominids already practiced greater hunting. However, the traces of the use of spears for it are not so old.

However, researchers have claimed that these old tips they have found now in South Africa, have evident indications that they were part of their work. This, in addition, joins the hypothesis that the two species, Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, have used spears and have inherited technology to manufacture these weapons from their common ancestor.