Ancient Europeans Surprised Researchers with Early Mastery of Spear-Throwers

Stone Age Europeans in Belgium were using spear-throwers over 30,000 years ago, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed flint artifacts from the Maisières-Canal archaeological site and found 17 with fractures indicating they were projectile points. The findings push back the earliest known evidence of spear-throwers in Europe by over 10,000 years. Spear-throwers, or atlatls, were a common weapon that used leverage to propel dart-shaped projectiles at high speed. The development of projectile weapons had significant implications for human evolution, changing diet and social organization. However, some experts argue that the study ignores previous research on the topic.