Homo sapiens may have brought archery to Europe about 54,000 years ago
Small stone points could have felled prey only as tips of arrows shot from bows, scientists say
By Bruce Bower
Homo sapiens who reached Europe around 54,000 years ago introduced bows and arrows to that continent, a new study suggests.
Researchers examined tiny triangular stone points and other artifacts excavated at a rock-shelter in southern France called Grotte Mandrin. H. sapiens on the move probably brought archery techniques from Africa to Europe, archaeologist Laure Metz of Aix-Marseille University in France and colleagues report February 22 in Science Advances.
“Metz and colleagues demonstrate bow hunting [at Grotte Mandrin] as convincingly as possible without being caught bow-in-hand,” says archaeologist Marlize Lombard of the University of Johannesburg, who did not participate in the new study.