Recent archaeological findings in Africa are reshaping our understanding of early human ingenuity and social practices. Discoveries include the world’s oldest evidence of poison arrow use dating back 60,000 years in South Africa and an exceptionally rare 9,500-year-old hunter-gatherer cremation pyre in Malawi, pushing back the timelines for sophisticated hunting techniques and complex funerary rituals on the continent.
Ancient Poison Arrows Revolutionize Hunting Practices
The oldest direct evidence of poison weapons has been found in South Africa, dating back 60,000 years.
Archaeologists have unearthed 60,000-year-old quartzite arrowheads from the Umhlatuzana rock shelter in South Africa, revealing the earliest known use of poison on weapons. Chemical analysis detected traces of plant-derived toxins, likely from the Boophone disticha plant, on five of the ten sampled arrowheads. This discovery significantly predates previous evidence for poison weapon use, which extended back only about 8,000 years.
The findings suggest that early humans possessed a sophisticated understanding of plant biochemistry and its application for hunting. The use of poison would have increased hunting efficiency by immobilizing or weakening prey, allowing hunters to pursue and capture larger animals with less effort. This indicates advanced cognitive abilities, including an understanding of cause and effect and long-term planning.
Rare Hunter-Gatherer Cremation Pyre Unearthed
In a separate significant discovery, a cremation pyre dated to 9,500 years ago has been found in northern Malawi. This find is remarkable because intentional cremation is exceptionally rare among ancient and modern hunter-gatherer societies. The oldest previously known intentional cremation in Africa dated to only 3,500 years ago.
The large ash feature contained approximately 170 bone fragments belonging to an adult woman. Evidence suggests parts of her body may have been defleshed before cremation, and her head might have been removed, as no teeth or skull fragments were recovered. The scale of the pyre and the labor required to build and maintain it suggest a significant ritual event, prompting a re-evaluation of group labor and ritualistic practices within these ancient communities.
Further evidence at the Malawi site indicates that large fires were burned at the location both before and after the cremation, possibly serving as a memorial to the deceased. Researchers speculate that the woman’s special treatment points to her unique significance within her community.