Hutson, Jarod, Nelson, Ellie orcid.org/0000-0003-1833-7544, Penkman, Kirsty Elizabeth Helena orcid.org/0000-0002-6226-9799 et al. (2 more authors) (2025) Revised age for Schöningen hunting spears indicates intensification of Neanderthal cooperative behavior around 200,000 years ago. Science Advances. eadv0752. ISSN 2375-2548
Abstract
The Schöningen 13II-4 archaeological site in Germany holds title to the most complete Paleolithic wooden hunting spears ever discovered, yet its age has never been properly settled. Initial estimates placed the site at around 400,000 years; this age was later revised to roughly 300,000 years. Here, we report age estimates for the "Spear Horizon" based on amino acid geochronology of fossils obtained directly from the find-bearing deposits. Together with a reassessment of regional Middle Pleistocene chronostratigraphy, these data place the Schöningen spears at ~200,000 years. This revised age positions the Spear Horizon alongside other sites that collectively record a shift toward communal hunting strategies. The Schöningen archaeological record exemplifies this behavioral transformation that arose within the increasingly complex social environments of Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2025 theAuthors |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Chemistry (York) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number EUROPEAN COMMISSION 865222 |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 12 May 2025 23:08 |
Last Modified: | 23 May 2025 11:00 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adv0752 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1126/sciadv.adv0752 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:226567 |