The Shanidar Cave system in Iraq provided some of the first evidence that Neanderthals, like us, buried their dead. Now, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports, it might also be the site of a prehistoric murder mystery. Within the cave, archaeologists found a scapula (shoulder blade) buried underneath 25 feet of rock belonging to a roughly 45-year-old Neanderthal man who lived around 75,000 years ago called Shanidar A.
This flat triangular bone is relatively thin, and Shanidar A’s had a circular hole a little wider than half an inch in his—a puncture wound. Was this murder most foul? Read more: “People With This Neanderthal Hormone Receptor Have More Muscle Mass” To find out, the team performed a little high-tech crime scene analysis using computer-generated 3D models of the bone.
And they were able to learn quite a bit about what led to Shanidar A’s demise. First, the wound likely resulted from a sharpened wooden spear rather than a stone weapon, which would have left a more angular wound. Neanderthals were adept woodworkers, and while most of their handiwork has been lost to time, the round hole is consistent with spear tips unearthed in the United Kingdom.
Other Neanderthal spears from Germany seem to have been carefully balanced and optimized for throwing. Second, beveling on the scapula indicated the killing blow came from the front, and bits of bone point suggest it came from above at a downward trajectory, puncturing the left side. The spear likely pierced the lung and heart.
So a shot to the heart, but who’s to blame? This is where things get murky. While the team is confident the killing blow came from another Neanderthal (or even human), they’re not ready to rule it a homicide.
It’s possible, researchers say, this was a tragic hunting accident. In other words, this 75,000-year-old cold case will likely go unsolved, but Shanidar A still had more clues to offer about Neanderthal life. The victim’s jaw was also found among his remains and his teeth showed signs of previous trauma.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
