How archery was vital to the survival of early humans

Remains found in the Rh ône Valley, dating back 54,000 years, are earliest discovered outside AfricaIt is a weapon whose effectiveness was overtaken centuries ago by the gun and rifle. Yet the bow and arrow may deserve a prize place in the history of our species, say scientists. They believe archery could have been critical toHomosapiens’ conquest of the planet, helping modern humans emerge from their African homeland tens of thousands of years ago.Early archers would have been able to kill their prey at a considerable distance while at the same time giving their diets a protein boost without endangering themselves, say researchers. It has also become clear that bow-and-arrow technology is ancient, with some of the oldest arrowheads traced to caves in South Africa and dated to around 64,000 years ago.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Archaeology Science France Society Neanderthals Europe World news Source Type: news