Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – A UAB study team provides new insights into early Neolithic archery in the Iberian Peninsula. The findings of the team show remarkable precision and technical mastery.
Three Neolithic arrows reed and wood and details of tied sinew fibres, feathers and birch bark pitch. Credit: MUTERMUR Project.
The well-preserved remains of the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, Granada, revealed Europe’s oldest bowstrings and the use of olive and reed wood, along with birch bark pitch for arrows.
Research on archaeological remains from the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, Granada, reveals the sophistication of Ancient Neolithic archery in the Iberian Peninsula (5300-4900 BCE) and provides unique insights into European materials and manufacturing techniques.
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 remarkable preservation of organic remains, due to their desiccation, offers a unique opportunity to explore and document the archery equipment used by Neolithic populations in the southwestern part of the peninsula around 7,000 years ago.
This discovery is truly groundbreaking; it includes arrows with their original feathers intact, remnants of fibers, and two bowstrings crafted from animal sinews—the oldest ever found in Europe.
Cave of Los Murciélagos (Albuñol, Granada). © MUTERMUR Project.
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.
The arrow shafts reveal new insights into local resource use and transformation. For the first time, analysis shows the use of olive wood (Olea europaea) and reed wood (Phragmites sp). The long-held hypothesis about reeds for arrow making in prehistoric Europe is now confirmed.
The combination of olive, willow, and reed wood is particularly interesting.
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.
Fragments of sinew bowstrings from the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, the oldest bowstrings found so far in Europe. Image credit: MUTERMUR Project.
Ultimately, the arrow shafts were meticulously coated with birch bark pitch, a substance derived through a controlled thermal process of the tree’s bark. This material was employed not solely for its protective attributes but likely also for ornamental purposes, thereby imparting both an aesthetic and functional dimension to the equipment.
Since the early Neolithic, populations have shown impressive adaptation to local resources. This study’s findings on varied materials and advanced techniques redefine the understanding of prehistoric technologies and offer new insights into Neolithic societies in the region, according to the research team.
The discoveries significantly enhance our understanding of the artisan practices and daily life of prehistoric societies, offering invaluable insights into ancient weaponry. By unveiling methods and materials that can be explored at other European Neolithic archaeological sites, these findings pave the way for groundbreaking research.
Furthermore, as Raquel Piqué highlights, they deepen our comprehension of the symbolic significance associated with grave goods in funerary contexts like the Cave of Los Murciélagos.
The research team has concluded that the findings at the Cave of Los Murciélagos significantly redefine our understanding of the earliest agricultural societies in Europe, offering an unparalleled perspective on ancient archery materials and practices. The examination of the archaeological remains was conducted using advanced microscopy and biomolecular analysis techniques, integrating both protein and lipid analysis.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
