News Archaeology

Neandertals invented bone-tipped spears all on their own

A newfound bone point predates tool-toting Homo sapiens’ arrival in Eastern Europe

Close-up views of a pointed, yellowish-brown ancient bone fragment shown from three different angles against a black background, displaying its weathered texture and dark speckled markings.

A sharpened 80,000-year-old animal bone fragment, photographed from three angles, may have been used by Neandertals as the pointy end of a projectile weapon.

L.V. Golovonova et al/Journal of Archaeological Science 2025

By Taylor Mitchell Brown

Neandertals may have been forging projectile weapons out of animal bones 50,000 years earlier than previously thought.