Citation

Sano K, Arrighi S, Stani C, Aureli D, Boschin F, Fiore I, Spagnolo V, Ricci S, Crezzini J, Boscato P, Gala M, Tagliacozzo A, Birarda G, Vaccari L, Ronchitelli A, Moroni A, Benazzi S. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 2019; 3(10): 1409-1414.

Affiliation

Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1038/s41559-019-0990-3

PMID

31558829

Abstract

Microscopic analysis of backed lithic pieces from the Uluzzian technocomplex (45-40 thousand yr ago) at Grotta del Cavallo (southern Italy) reveals their use as mechanically delivered projectile weapons, attributed to anatomically modern humans. Use-wear and residue analyses indicate that the lithics were hunting armatures hafted with complex adhesives, while experimental and ethnographic comparisons support their use as projectiles. The use of projectiles conferred a hunting strategy with a higher impact energy and a potential subsistence advantage over other populations and species.

Language: en