부산대학교 도서관

The bow and arrow is thought to be a unique development of our species, signalling higher-level cognitive functioning. How this technology originated and how we identify archaeological evidence for it are subjects of ongoing debate. Recent analysis of the putative bone arrow point from Sibudu Cave in South Africa, dated to 61.7 [+ or -] 1.5kya, has provided important new insights. High-resolution CT scanning revealed heat and impact damage in both the Sibudu point and in experimentally produced arrow points. These features suggest that the Sibudu point was first used as an arrowhead for hunting, and afterwards was deposited in a hearth. Our results support the claim that bone weapon tips were used in South African hunting long before the Eurasian Upper Palaeolithic. Keywords: South Africa, Sibudu Cave, projectile technology, bow and arrow, experimental archaeology
Introduction Projectile weaponry, in its broadest terms, is found in all regions and among all human cultures of the world, yet its antiquity and evolution remain incompletely understood (Brooks et [...]