Exceptional discoveries on prehistoric archery from 7,000 years ago
A study team led by the UAB provides unprecedented information on prehistoric archery from the early Neolithic period in the Iberian Peninsula. The well preservation of the remains of the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, Granada, made it possible to identify the oldest bowstrings in Europe, as well as the use of olive and reed wood and birch bark pitch in the making of arrows. The results, published in Scientific Reports, reveals an unprecedented degree of precision and technical mastery.
The interdisciplinary research of archaeological remains found in the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, Granada, has revealed the sophistication of Ancient Neolithic archery in the Iberian Peninsula (5300-4900 BCE), and provides unprecedented information in the European context on the materials and manufacturing techniques used.
The study was led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and published in Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio). Several research teams from centres and universities in Spain were involved in the study, including the University of Alcalá (UAH), the Institute of Heritage Sciences (INCIPIT-CSIC) and the UAB Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), as well as the Université Côte d'Azur and the CNRS in France.
The exceptional preservation of the organic remains, preserved thanks to having dried out, made it possible to identify and document elements of the archery equipment of Neolithic populations inhabiting the southwestern part of the peninsula some 7,000 years ago. Among the findings are arrows preserved with their original feathers, remains of fibres, and two bowstrings made of animal sinews, which are the oldest found so far in Europe.
«The identification of these bowstrings marks a crucial step in the study of Neolithic weaponry. Not only were we able to confirm the use of animal tendons to make them, but we also identified the genus or species of animal from which they came», explains Ingrid Bertin, researcher at the UAB and first author of the published article. Tendons from Capra sp. (a genus that includes several species of goats and ibex), Sus sp. (a genus to which wild boar and pigs belong) and roe deer were used, which were twisted together to create ropes of sufficient length. «With this technique, strong and flexible ropes could be made, to meet the needs of experienced archers. This degree of precision and technical mastery, where every detail counts, attests to the exceptional knowledge of these Neolithic artisans», says Raquel Piqué, researcher in the Department of Prehistory of the UAB and coordinator of the study.
Local resources and thorough transformations
On the other hand, the arrow shafts provide new information on the use of local resources and a thorough transformation. For the first time, the analysis has revealed the use of olive wood (Olea europaea) and reed wood (Phragmites sp).
The use of reeds for the manufacturing of arrows in prehistoric Europe, a hypothesis considered by researchers for decades, is finally confirmed by these findings. In addition, the combination of olive, willow and reed wood is a particularly interesting choice of materials: «This integration offers a hard and dense front section, complemented by a light back, which significantly improves the ballistic properties of the arrows, whose tips are made of wood without stone or bone projectiles. Future experiments may clarify whether these arrows could have been used for hunting or close-range combat, or whether they could have been non-lethal arrows», Ingrid Bertin states.
Finally, the arrow shafts were coated with birch bark pitch, a material obtained by a controlled heat treatment of the bark of this tree, used not only for its protective properties, but probably also for decorative purposes, which adds an aesthetic and functional dimension to the equipment.
New perspective on the region’s Neolithic groups
Since the early Neolithic, populations have developed technical knowledge that attests to an impressive adaptation to local resources, but the combination of varied materials and advanced techniques identified in this study redefines current understanding of the technologies used by prehistoric communities and offers a new perspective on Neolithic societies in the region, the research team states.
«The discoveries contribute to enrich the understanding of the artisan practices and daily life of prehistoric societies and open ways for the study of ancient weaponry, by revealing methods and materials that can be investigated at other European Neolithic archaeological sites», says Raquel Piqué. She goes on to say: «In addition, they provide a better understanding of the symbolic sphere linked to these grave goods from a funerary context, such as is the Cave of Los Murciélagos».
The research team concludes that the discoveries made at the Cave of Los Murciélagos redefine the limits of our knowledge about the earliest agricultural societies in Europe and provide a unique view on ancestral archery materials and practices.
The study of the archaeological remains was carried out by applying advanced microscopy and biomolecular analysis techniques, which combine protein and lipid analysis.
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This research was carried out under the framework of the CHEMARCH project (MSCA-ITN-EJD, The chemistry and molecular biology of prehistoric artifacts) funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 programme, with the participation of ICTA-UAB, Universidad de Alcalá, INCIPIT-CSIC, Universidad de Córdoba, Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canarias, Université Côte d'Azur and CNRS (France).
It was also carried out within the framework of the project “From the Museum to the Field: Updating Scholarship on the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, Granada” (MUTERMUR), financed by the Regional Government of Madrid and the University of Alcalá. The objective of this project is the holistic study of the site and its material record, applying the latest archaeometric techniques and generating quality scientific data. The project included the collaboration of the National Archaeological Museum, the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum of Granada, the City Council of Albuñol, and the owners of the cave.
Reference article: Bertin I., Martín Seijo M., Martínez-Sevilla F., McGrath K., Santana J., Herrero Otal M. Martínez Sánchez R.M., Palomo A., Regert M., Théry I., Piqué R. First Evidence of Early Neolithic Archery from Cueva de los Murciélagos (Albuñol, Granada) Revealed through Combined Chemical and Morphological Analysis. Scientific Reports. 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-77224-w#Sec16