Scientists recently found plant toxins on Stone Age arrowheads in South Africa, dating back around 60,000 years. This is significant as it reveals the oldest known use of poison in hunting, showing that ancient hunter-gatherers had developed advanced strategies and tools much earlier than we thought.
According to Sven Isaksson, a lead author of the study, these poisoned arrows didn’t kill prey immediately. Instead, they made it easier for hunters to track and exhaust wounded animals. The study hints that these early humans had an understanding of cause-and-effect, as they knew how toxins would impact their quarry over time.
Two specific alkaloids were identified from the toxic residue found on the quartz arrows. Both came from the gifbol plant, or Boophone disticha, which local traditional hunters still use today. The discovery suggests that hunter-gatherers had not only knowledge of effective plants but also the skill to use them in hunting.
Isaksson noted, “Understanding that a substance applied to an arrow could weaken an animal hours later shows advanced cognitive abilities.” This points to complex thinking and cultural knowledge among ancient people.
Interestingly, there’s a long history of humans using plants for both food and poisons. Isaksson mentioned that during the last Ice Age, early humans effectively used the chemical properties of plants to create medicine and toxins. To prepare their arrows, these hunter-gatherers likely applied poison by cutting into the plant’s bulb or using heat to concentrate the toxic substances.
The study’s findings were made possible by sophisticated chemical analyses that detected alkaloids even after thousands of years. These alkaloids are stable and don’t dissolve easily in water, which helped preserve the evidence.
Small amounts of the plant’s toxins can severely affect animals and humans alike, causing symptoms like nausea and respiratory paralysis. The study also compared the newly discovered arrowheads to older ones, revealing a long tradition of using poison in hunting.
This research builds on previous findings of poisoned hunting tools, including examples from more recent sites in South Africa. For instance, past evidence includes an applicator used to apply poison that dates back 24,000 years.
What makes this finding significant is that it demonstrates human ingenuity and advanced strategic thinking, qualities that distinguish early Homo sapiens from other hominins like Neanderthals. According to archaeologist Ludovic Slimak, this points to the bow and arrow as vital technology for human survival as we spread across different regions, contradicting the idea that such tools were recent innovations.
With these discoveries, scientists are eager to explore more sites in South Africa. Each find offers fresh insights into how early humans thought, planned, and interacted with their environment. This ongoing research sheds light on the sophistication of ancient peoples and their ability to manipulate the natural world around them.
For further reading on the significance of plant toxins in ancient cultures, you can explore resources from the [National Institutes of Health](https://www.nih.gov) or view studies related to historical hunting techniques.
