A Neanderthal survived a severe facial injury for at least a year before dying 75,000 years ago; a 15mm shoulder-blade hole may be the earliest evidence of lethal violence with a wooden spear– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

A Neanderthal who lived around 75,000 years ago survived a serious facial injury for at least a year before suffering what researchers believe was a fatal spear wound. The discovery, made at Shanidar Cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, could provide some of the earliest evidence of a deadly attack involving a wooden spear in human evolutionary history.Scientists reached this conclusion after examining the remains of an adult Neanderthal, identified as Shanidar A. A nearly complete left shoulder blade contained a circular hole measuring approximately 15mm across. Researchers believe the shape of the opening is consistent with a sharpened wooden spear passing through the chest and emerging through the bone. They also identified damage to the individual’s front teeth, suggesting that the Neanderthal had experienced a separate, serious injury long before death.Although the shoulder wound may have resulted from an attack, scientists have not ruled out a hunting accident. The discovery is particularly important because the same remains offer evidence of both a potentially violent death and survival after an earlier injury that may have required help from other members of the group.Findings of the research led by archaeologists at the University of Cambridge were published on Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports and shared by Nature.com.