At the Obi-Rakhmat rock shelter in northeastern Uzbekistan, researchers have identified tiny triangular stone points in the site's oldest occupation layers, dating to around 80,000 years ago. The unretouched micropoints average less than 2 centimetres in width and weigh only a few grams, with their dimensions indicating that they were designed for very small, lightweight projectile systems. The researchers argue that their shape and fracture patterns are consistent with use as projectile heads on arrow-like shafts. What makes the discovery particularly striking is that virtually identical micropoints appear at Mandrin Cave in France's Rhône Valley roughly 25,000 years later, where they are associated with an early presence of Homo sapiens in western Europe. The two groups of points are separated by about 6,000 kilometres, yet share an unusually similar form and evidence of projectile use. The researchers do not claim that one directly descended from the other, but say the resemblance raises important questions about how lightweight projectile technology emerged and spread across Eurasia.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
