New analysis of Schöningen materials

[Primum Sapienti]

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/04/science/archaeology-neanderthals-wood.html

...
Dr. Terberger was team leader of a study published
last month in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences that provided the first
comprehensive report on the wooden objects
excavated from 1994 to 2008 in the peat of an
open-pit coal mine near Schöningen, in northern
Germany.
...
In the mid-1990s, the discovery of three of the
spears — along with stone tools and the butchered
remains of 10 wild horses — upended prevailing
ideas about the intelligence, social interaction
and toolmaking skills of our extinct human
ancestors.
...
The new study, which began in 2021, examined
more than 700 pieces of wood from the Spear
Horizon, many of which had spent the previous
two decades stored in chilled tubs of distilled
water to simulate the waterlogged sediment that
had protected them from decay. With the aid of
3-D microscopy and micro-CT scanners that
highlighted signs of wear or cut marks,
researchers identified 187 pieces of wood that
showed evidence of splitting, scraping or
abrasion.
...
Besides weapons, the assemblage included 35
pointed and rounded artifacts that were most
likely used in domestic activities such as
punching holes and smoothing hides.
...



https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution

Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.

Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

[Mario Petrinovic]

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/04/science/archaeology-neanderthals-wood.html
...
Dr. Terberger was team leader of a study published
last month in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences that provided the first
comprehensive report on the wooden objects
excavated from 1994 to 2008 in the peat of an
open-pit coal mine near Schöningen, in northern
Germany.
...
In the mid-1990s, the discovery of three of the
spears — along with stone tools and the butchered
remains of 10 wild horses — upended prevailing
ideas about the intelligence, social interaction
and toolmaking skills of our extinct human
ancestors.
...
The new study, which began in 2021, examined
more than 700 pieces of wood from the Spear
Horizon, many of which had spent the previous
two decades stored in chilled tubs of distilled
water to simulate the waterlogged sediment that
had protected them from decay. With the aid of
3-D microscopy and micro-CT scanners that
highlighted signs of wear or cut marks,
researchers identified 187 pieces of wood that
showed evidence of splitting, scraping or
abrasion.
...
Besides weapons, the assemblage included 35
pointed and rounded artifacts that were most
likely used in domestic activities such as
punching holes and smoothing hides.
...
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

Instead of "Was the stone age actually a wood age?" the article on the
first link should be called "Was the middle stone age actually a
hematite age?".
On the beginning of the first video you can see tools for wood carving:

In the second video you can see how you split wood:

[JTEM]

Post by Primum Sapienti
Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate.

Recently, far too much as been made about the dating.

There are older finds, so the specific dating is not
that interesting. They knocked 100,000 years off the
dating but nobody has convincingly re-dated other
finds still within the 400,000 year range.

...but the fact that they could reshape wood,
and not just stone, doesn't actually seem all that...

"New?"

It's roughly 100,000 years younger than the oldest
known hearth from Europe!

Why is that important?

Because I always assumed that fire-starting was
inferred. Like they were drilling holes in things,
noticed that they heat up, noticed that fire is
hot and then figured that they could use this
method to start fires...

If they weren't already playing with wood before
the history of fire started in Europe (and they
probably were), it hard to start immediately with
the fire...

[Pandora]

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the large
size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less likely
and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally sparse at
sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."

Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

[Mario Petrinovic]

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the large
size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less likely
and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally sparse at
sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

"Evidence is sparse". Anybody expects it to be abundant? What kind of
evidence someone expects, what are the chances that this evidence
survives? The fact that they are sparse isn't an argument against fish
consumption. Upper paleolithic is period after 50 kya. Aborigines
colonized Australia 65 kya, they made the largest stone age men made
structures (or something), and those structures are extremely advanced
fisheries, as far as I know.
So, simple counting of an evidence number isn't enough. One should
understand the context and the logic behind it. But, a lot of scientists
are just simple people, so, what can you expect.

[erik simpson]

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the large
size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less likely
and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally sparse at
sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

[Mario Petrinovic]

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

Instead he should kiss the feet of complete imbeciles, like you do?

[JTEM]

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora
"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

You paste eating fools can't grasp it but, this is an inland site.

Seriously. Google it, you knuckle dragging imbeciles! The site is
quite a distance from the ocean!

We all know that humans pushed inland, the good Doctor has never
disputed this, while nimrods like you operate under the assumption
that everybody had to remain seaside, exploiting the sea, or
nobody did.

Very binary. And stupid. But I could expect nothing less from a
mouth breather who thinks learned to stand upright and walk by
standing upright & running on a savanna, and that's why we're
talking about wooden artifacts in Germany...

[Pandora]

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

As you may have noticed, in his absence he can always count on his
disciples.

[Mario Petrinovic]

Post by Pandora

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

As you may have noticed, in his absence he can always count on his
disciples.

Well, it may surprise you, but this isn't a football match, there are
no teams here, we should discuss things, not form alliances.

[erik simpson]

Post by Pandora

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements
less likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is
generally sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his
usual reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

As you may have noticed, in his absence he can always count on his
disciples.

        Well, it may surprise you, but this isn't a football match,
there are no teams here, we should discuss things, not form alliances.

There's something we agree on.

[JTEM]

        Well, it may surprise you, but this isn't a football match,
there are no teams here, we should discuss things, not form alliances.

That's not how academia works. If it doesn't have an immediate
economic or military application, it's not science it's politics.

The only "Reality" that matters is whether everyone really is
in line with the status quo, or not.

[Mario Petrinovic]

Post by JTEM

         Well, it may surprise you, but this isn't a football match,
there are no teams here, we should discuss things, not form alliances.

That's not how academia works. If it doesn't have an immediate
economic or military application, it's not science it's politics.
The only "Reality" that matters is whether everyone really is
in line with the status quo, or not.

Yes, I agree. Only, it wasn't supposed to be that way. But hey, it all
depends on the intelligence of those involved. Which is low,
unfortunately, intelligence is the least desirable thing in autocratic
systems. Actually, any virtue isn't desirable, because it can challenge
the authorities. So, every virtue is reduced to the simplest level.

[JTEM]

        Yes, I agree. Only, it wasn't supposed to be that way. But hey,
it all depends on the intelligence of those involved. Which is low,
unfortunately, intelligence is the least desirable thing in autocratic
systems. Actually, any virtue isn't desirable, because it can challenge
the authorities. So, every virtue is reduced to the simplest level.

Back before usenet died I had a number of very eye opening experiences.

I got into an "Argument" once, over in talk.orgins, with the group. The
whole group. Not a single person agreed with me.

Anyway, I "Argued" that so called "Moderns" and Neanderthals interbred.
As you know, this is a proven fact. Everyone outside of Africa carries
Neanderthal DNA, as most people inside of Africa do even if to a lesser
extant. But turn the dial on the Wayback Machine to 2007 and this DNA
evidence was not known. So...

Anyway, I never ever got a single person to "Argue" the evidence. Not
one person. I knew what the claims were, I was intimate a number of
"Studies" finding zero interbreeding and I knew what was wrong with
those studies, and why the exact opposite should be concluded. And not
a single person was willing to even entertain a discussion on the issues.

It's no different with Aquatic Ape. I'm not saying that the case is as
obvious, as well established but it's a really good case. In fact I
will flat out state that it's not a matter of "If" Aquatic Ape is fact
but to what extant -- when did it start, how did it work/influence
our development. But it DEFINITELY happened, it is true. Just
extant.

In many ways I see it as parallel to the interbreeding question: It
was DEFINITELY true, it was just a matter of HOW and to WHAT EXTANT
and it's influence on us living today...

Another example, in the same group, was Gwobull Warbling. People were
saying things which were just plain not true, and I was confronting
them.

I got blocked from the group!

They eventually lifted it but the message was clear: Stray from the
talking points, get shut out.

Nobody "Got" that lesson. Nobody learned a goddamn thing.

Academically, it's not all that different with Aquatic Ape. The
good Doctor was censored, a post deleted on one online side, with
Aquatic Ape denounced as fringe pseudo science.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_trial

That was 1925, and nothing has changed in this country. The only
difference is WHAT specifically they label as heresy. It was at one
time this thing called "Evolution," today it's Aquatic Ape and
ACTUAL climate science aka "not Gwobull Warbling."

Why does "Schöningen" matter? It doesn't actually re-date anything,
this new dating. There's still older finds setting this technology
back a further 100,000 years. The needle hasn't been nudged one
inch. Not one iota.

It's an inland site. It's people far removed from the coast and the
population that survived by exploiting it. It does, however, embarrass
savanna idiocy -- this "high tech" appear deep into central Europe
long before Africa.

So what's the point to it?

"But, it means they could shape wood, more than a million years
after they were known to shape rock and despite having older finds
that prove the same thing!"

It all seems *Way* more narrative driven than science.

[Mario Petrinovic]

Post by JTEM

         Yes, I agree. Only, it wasn't supposed to be that way. But
hey, it all depends on the intelligence of those involved. Which is
low, unfortunately, intelligence is the least desirable thing in
autocratic systems. Actually, any virtue isn't desirable, because it
can challenge the authorities. So, every virtue is reduced to the
simplest level.

Back before usenet died I had a number of very eye opening experiences.
I got into an "Argument" once, over in talk.orgins, with the group. The
whole group. Not a single person agreed with me.
Anyway, I "Argued" that so called "Moderns" and Neanderthals interbred.
As you know, this is a proven fact. Everyone outside of Africa carries
Neanderthal DNA, as most people inside of Africa do even if to a lesser
extant. But turn the dial on the Wayback Machine to 2007 and this DNA
evidence was not known. So...
Anyway, I never ever got a single person to "Argue" the evidence. Not
one person. I knew what the claims were, I was intimate a number of
"Studies" finding zero interbreeding and I knew what was wrong with
those studies, and why the exact opposite should be concluded. And not
a single person was willing to even entertain a discussion on the issues.
It's no different with Aquatic Ape. I'm not saying that the case is as
obvious, as well established but it's a really good case. In fact I
will flat out state that it's not a matter of "If" Aquatic Ape is fact
but to what extant -- when did it start, how did it work/influence
our development. But it DEFINITELY happened, it is true. Just
extant.
In many ways I see it as parallel to the interbreeding question:  It
was DEFINITELY true, it was just a matter of HOW and to WHAT EXTANT
and it's influence on us living today...
Another example, in the same group, was Gwobull Warbling. People were
saying things which were just plain not true, and I was confronting
them.
I got blocked from the group!
They eventually lifted it but the message was clear:  Stray from the
talking points, get shut out.
Nobody "Got" that lesson. Nobody learned a goddamn thing.
Academically, it's not all that different with Aquatic Ape. The
good Doctor was censored, a post deleted on one online side, with
Aquatic Ape denounced as fringe pseudo science.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_trial
That was 1925, and nothing has changed in this country. The only
difference is WHAT specifically they label as heresy. It was at one
time this thing called "Evolution," today it's Aquatic Ape and
ACTUAL climate science aka "not Gwobull Warbling."
Why does "Schöningen" matter? It doesn't actually re-date anything,
this new dating. There's still older finds setting this technology
back a further 100,000 years. The needle hasn't been nudged one
inch. Not one iota.
It's an inland site. It's people far removed from the coast and the
population that survived by exploiting it. It does, however, embarrass
savanna idiocy -- this "high tech" appear deep into central Europe
long before Africa.
So what's the point to it?
"But, it means they could shape wood, more than a million years
after they were known to shape rock and despite having older finds
that prove the same thing!"
It all seems *Way* more narrative driven than science.

I would only like to emphasize two points:
1) We have subcutaneous fat, aquatic mammals also have it, this is more
than solid reason to research AAT. Actually, I don't think that anything
else has such solid foundation. But nobody cares.
2) This is how the EU minister of foreign affairs describes the state in
which humankind is (famous speech over here):

[erik simpson]

Post by Pandora

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution
Significance
Wooden tools rarely survive in the Paleolithic
record limiting our understanding of
Pleistocene hunter-gather lifeways. With 187
wooden artifacts, Schöningen 13 II-4 provides
the largest assemblage worldwide introduced
here for the first time in full. Wooden tools
include at least 10 spears and seven throwing
sticks used in hunting next to 35 newly
recognized pointed and rounded split woods
likely used in domestic activities. The study
provides unique insights into Pleistocene
woodworking techniques, tool design, use,
re-working, and human behavior connected to
wooden artifacts. Human evolution studies
show increasing brain size and technological
complexity that coincide with human group
hunting over the last 2 Ma. Schöningen’s
wooden hunting weapons exemplify the
interplay of technological complexity, human
behavior, and human evolution.
Abstract
Ethnographic records show that wooden tools
played a pivotal role in the daily lives of
hunter-gatherers including food procurement
tools used in hunting (e.g., spears, throwing
sticks) and gathering (e.g. digging sticks,
bark peelers), as well as, domestic tools
(e.g., handles, vessels). However, wood
rarely survives in the archeological record,
especially in Pleistocene contexts and
knowledge of prehistoric hunter-gatherer
lifeways is strongly biased by the
survivorship of more resilient materials such
as lithics and bones. Consequently, very few
Paleolithic sites have produced wooden
artifacts and among them, the site of
Schöningen stands out due to its number and
variety of wooden tools. The recovery of
complete wooden spears and throwing sticks
at this 300,000-y-old site (MIS 9) led to a
paradigm shift in the hunter vs. scavenger
debate. For the first time and almost 30 y
after their discovery, this study introduces
the complete wooden assemblage from Schöningen
13 II-4 known as the Spear Horizon. In total,
187 wooden artifacts could be identified from
the Spear Horizon demonstrating a broad
spectrum of wood-working techniques, including
the splitting technique. A minimum of 20
hunting weapons is now recognized and two
newly identified artifact types comprise 35
tools made on split woods, which were likely
used in domestic activities. Schöningen 13
II-4 represents the largest Pleistocene
wooden artifact assemblage worldwide and
demonstrates the key role woodworking had in
human evolution. Finally, our results
considerably change the interpretation of the
Pleistocene lakeshore site of Schöningen.

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

As you may have noticed, in his absence he can always count on his
disciples.

HUA.

[JTEM]

Post by Pandora
As you may have noticed, in his absence he can always count on his
disciples.

Wow. I guess that explains why you're employing rotating sock
puppets to point to an inland site -- deep inland -- and
marvel over the lack of an apparent waterside population,
though it very certainly is waterside, just fresh water...

How's that Nobel Prize coming? Any word yet?

[Primum Sapienti]

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

Actually, it would go more like this: "it completely
confirms our view"

:=}}

[JTEM]

Post by Primum Sapienti
Actually, it would go more like this: "it completely
confirms our view"

If that ain't an argument for pulling your head out of
there, I don't know what is!

Besides, it can't possibly smell very pleasant in your
rectum...

[Primum Sapienti]

Post by Primum Sapienti

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements less
likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is generally
sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his usual
reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

Actually, it would go more like this: "it completely
confirms our view"
:=}}

The paper on endurance running and hunting would
make him positively apoplectic.

[Pandora]

Post by Primum Sapienti

Post by Primum Sapienti

Post by erik simpson

Post by Pandora

Post by Primum Sapienti
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320484121
The wooden artifacts from Schöningen’s Spear
Horizon and their place in human evolution

"Although in theory, spears could have been used for fishing, the
large size of most of the spears makes use as fishing implements
less likely and evidence of spear fishing or fish consumption is
generally sparse at sites predating the Upper Paleolithic."
Can someone forward that to the good Doctor?

If you mean the good Doctor in Belgium, I suspect he'll have his
usual reaction to the "complete imbeciles" involved in this.

Actually, it would go more like this: "it completely
confirms our view"
:=}}

The paper on endurance running and hunting would
make him positively apoplectic.

"savanna nonsense :-( "

https://groups.io/g/AAT/topic/savanna_nonsense/106111851