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300,000-year-old throwing stick documents the evolution of hunting
HeritageDaily ^ | April 22, 2020 | Universitaet Tuebingen

Posted on 04/26/2020 6:49:49 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Research at Schengen demonstrates that already 300,000 years ago Homo heidelbergensis used a combination of throwing sticks, spears and thrusting lances. Prof. Nicholas Conard and Dr. Jordi Serangeli, who lead the research team, attribute the exceptional discovery to the outstanding preservation of wooden artifacts in the water saturated lakeside sediments in Schengen.

The throwing stick was recovered in layer 13 II-4, which in the 1990s yielded examples of throwing spears, a thrusting lance and additional wooden tools of unknown function. Like almost all of these finds, the new artifact was carefully carved from spruce wood. The throwing stick is 64.5 cm long, 2.9 cm in diameter and weighs 264 grams. The cross-section is asymmetrical with a round and a flatter side.

Use-wear analysis conducted by Veerle Rots from the University of Liege shows how the maker of the throwing stick used stone tools to cut the branches flush and then to smooth the surface of the artifact. The artifact preserves impact fractures and damage consistent with that found on ethnographic and experimental examples of throwing sticks.

When in flight, throwing sticks, also referred to as "rabbit sticks" and "killing sticks" rotate around their center of gravity, and do not return to the thrower, as is the case with boomerangs. Instead the rotation helps to maintain a straight, accurate trajectory while increasing the likelihood of striking prey animals. Jordi Serangeli explains: "They are effective weapons at diverse distances and can be used to kill or wound birds or rabbits or to drive larger game, such as the horses that were killed and butchered in large numbers in the Schengen lakeshore." Remains of swans and ducks are well-documented in the find horizon.

(Excerpt) Read more at heritagedaily.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: boomerangs; godsgravesglyphs; homoheidelbergensis; lucy; paleolithic; piltdownman; schoeningen; schoningen
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To: moovova

When I was a kid I hunted with all kinds of primitive weapons like throwing sticks.

Then I graduated to firearms and never looked back.


21 posted on 04/26/2020 8:51:44 AM PDT by riverrunner ( o the public,)
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To: Migraine
No, they know what they're talking about, and you do not.

22 posted on 04/26/2020 9:17:21 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: Dutch Boy
When the boomerang comes back, it just seems like it should be called a gnaremoob.

23 posted on 04/26/2020 9:23:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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Looky, some moron put "piltdownman" in the keywords.

24 posted on 04/26/2020 9:24:18 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

That took me a few minutes to figure out. It brought a chuckle once it clicked.


25 posted on 04/26/2020 9:49:40 AM PDT by Dutch Boy
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To: SunkenCiv
Awww, Mom, rabbit again?

That's all your good for nothing father could hit with his stick today, so hush up and eat!

26 posted on 04/26/2020 1:31:15 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: SunkenCiv

Ah — the settled science is in and everyone agrees. I see.


27 posted on 04/26/2020 2:37:16 PM PDT by Migraine
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To: DesertRhino

What testing method would you suggest?


28 posted on 04/26/2020 2:38:37 PM PDT by Migraine
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To: Migraine

Carbon 14 dating is accurate back to about 50,000 years. Unless you are a 4000 year old earther...


29 posted on 04/26/2020 2:41:01 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: DesertRhino

OK. So what method would you recommend instead? This piece is said to be 6 times that old.


30 posted on 04/26/2020 2:59:37 PM PDT by Migraine
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To: colorado tanker

In East Texas they were (maybe still are) called “tapsticks” maybe a bit shorter than this primitive version, main improvement was a weight on one end of the stick. You screwed a nut off a heavy bolt 2/4 ounces onto one end of the stick, if you could run fast (knew some who could make a decent run at rabbits) you could bag enough rabbits for a big meal with a little work and practice.


31 posted on 04/26/2020 3:09:17 PM PDT by nomorelurker
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To: nomorelurker

32 posted on 04/26/2020 3:18:23 PM PDT by deport
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To: nomorelurker

:-))


33 posted on 04/26/2020 3:31:42 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: deport

Small rabbit


34 posted on 04/26/2020 4:35:08 PM PDT by nomorelurker
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To: Migraine
Ah, another science hating troll. I see.

35 posted on 04/26/2020 5:31:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

No. I’d just like to see the science that dated that stick at 300K years. Where is it?

Anyway, when the hell did I ever insult you that you felt free to insult me?


36 posted on 04/26/2020 5:50:17 PM PDT by Migraine
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To: SunkenCiv
Cool article.

Wonder if they will find any atlatls?

37 posted on 04/26/2020 6:12:35 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Leave it to me to be holdin' the matches when the fire truck shows up & there's nobody else to blame)
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To: Migraine

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/


38 posted on 05/05/2020 5:18:02 PM PDT by pabianice
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