▼ Summary
– Poisoned projectiles have been used globally for hunting and warfare, with historical records from Greek, Roman, Chinese, Gaulish, Scythian, and Native American cultures.
– Archaeologists have discovered 60,000-year-old plant-based poison residue on Stone Age arrowheads from South Africa, making it the oldest direct evidence of this practice.
– This finding pushes the timeline for poisoned arrow use back into the Pleistocene, representing a cognitively complex hunting strategy much earlier than previously known.
– Poisons were derived from plants or animals, with examples like curare, oleander, and strychnine-containing ancar sap causing paralysis, cardiac arrest, or asphyxiation.
– The specific poison identified on the ancient arrowheads is from the Boophone disticha plant, which contains toxic compounds that can induce hallucinations, coma, or death.
The discovery of 60,000-year-old quartz arrowheads in South Africa bearing traces of a potent plant toxin represents the oldest direct evidence of poisoned projectiles ever found. This remarkable find fundamentally reshapes our understanding of early human ingenuity, pushing the use of this sophisticated hunting technology deep into the Pleistocene era. It reveals that our ancestors possessed a complex cognitive grasp of their environment, mastering the lethal properties of local flora to enhance their survival.
For millennia, cultures across the globe have employed poisons on arrows and darts. Historical records from ancient Greece and Rome detail recipes for weaponized toxins, while Chinese, Gallic, and Scythian warriors utilized similar strategies. The practice was also widespread among various Native American groups. These poisons were typically derived from either plant or animal sources, such as toxic frogs, beetles, or reptiles. Plant-based toxins like curare, which paralyzes the respiratory system, or oleander and milkweeds, which contain powerful cardiac glycosides, were common. In Southeast Asia, the sap of the ancar tree, rich in strychnine, was applied to arrowheads to induce paralysis and cardiac arrest.
Prior to this groundbreaking discovery, the earliest confirmed evidence for poisoned arrows came from much later periods. Researchers had identified toxic residues on 4,000-year-old bone arrowheads from an Egyptian tomb and on points from South Africa’s Kruger Cave dating back 6,700 years. The sole hint of Pleistocene-era poison use was an applicator tool found at Border Cave in South Africa. The new analysis of artifacts from the Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter site dramatically extends this timeline.
Scientists examined ten quartz arrowheads from the shelter. Their analysis showed that five of these ancient tips contained chemical compounds linked to Boophone disticha, a plant commonly known as the poisonous onion or gifbol. This plant is widespread in South Africa and has a dual historical use: its volatile oils could serve as an analgesic, while its more toxic elements were harnessed for hunting. The arrowheads tested positive for alkaloids like buphandrine and buphanine. Buphanine produces effects similar to scopolamine, capable of causing severe hallucinations, coma, or death, making it an exceptionally effective agent for bringing down large game. This finding confirms that early humans not only crafted precise stone tools but also expertly manipulated potent botanical resources, marking a significant leap in technological and cognitive development.
(Source: Ars Technica)