75,000-year-old Neanderthal injury may be earliest evidence of lethal spear attack

A Neanderthal who lived around 75,000 years ago survived a serious facial injury for at least a year before suffering what researchers believe was a fatal spear wound. The discovery, made at Shanidar Cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, could provide some of the earliest evidence of a deadly attack involving a wooden spear in human evolutionary history.Scientists reached this conclusion after examining the remains of an adult Neanderthal, identified as Shanidar A. A nearly complete left shoulder blade contained a circular hole measuring approximately 15mm across. Researchers believe the shape of the opening is consistent with a sharpened wooden spear passing through the chest and emerging through the bone. They also identified damage to the individual's front teeth, suggesting that the Neanderthal had experienced a separate, serious injury long before death.Although the shoulder wound may have resulted from an attack, scientists have not ruled out a hunting accident.