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Ancient Hole in Neanderthal Shoulder Blade May Be The Oldest Spear Attack Ever Discovered : ScienceAlert (opens in a new tab)

sciencealert.com · 2026-10-15

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The article covers a research area rather than reporting a specific new paper, so there is no single study to check it against.

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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The article covers a research area rather than reporting a specific new paper, so there is no single study to check it against.

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Claim 1 of 5Not checkedA new study in Scientific Reports suggests that a 15-millimeter-wide hole in Shanidar A's left shoulder blade was probably caused by a spear, possibly making it the earliest known example of an interpersonal spear attack in the hominin fossil record.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedearliest known example

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NewsLink could not identify one source study, so this claim was not compared against a paper.

Claim 2 of 5Not checkedResearchers say the wound's position and the force required to penetrate the bone have the hallmarks of an intended kill shot directed toward the heart.View evidenceHide evidence

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Claim 3 of 5Not checkedThe study analyzed remains of Shanidar A excavated in 2019 and 2022 from Shanidar Cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, a site with a long history of Neanderthal discoveries and evidence of repeated burials.View evidenceHide evidence

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Claim 4 of 5Not checkedThe article says one tooth shows signs of being split while Shanidar A was alive, suggesting a major facial injury and long-term survival that would have required care and support from other Neanderthals.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedat least a year and maybe more

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Claim 5 of 5Not checkedThe researchers also say tiny fractures and displaced fragments around the scapula perforation point to a puncture wound, most likely from a rounded wooden spear, though they note it cannot be known whether the injury came from hunting or interpersonal violence.View evidenceHide evidence

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