7,000-Year-Old Archery Artifacts Unearthed in Spain Shed Light on Neolithic Craftsmanship

Researchers uncover Europe's oldest bowstrings and arrows, revealing advanced techniques and material use by Iberian Neolithic societies.

Archaeologists discovered remarkably well-preserved bowstrings and arrows dating back 7,000 years in the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Granada, Spain.
The bowstrings, made from tendons of three animal species, are the oldest known in Europe and showcase sophisticated braiding techniques still used today.
Arrows were crafted with a blend of olive, willow, and reed wood, optimized for performance, and coated with birch bark pitch for protection and decoration.
The findings confirm long-held theories about the use of reed wood in prehistoric European arrows and highlight the artisans' technical precision and aesthetic considerations.
These artifacts provide new insights into the daily life, symbolic practices, and weaponry of early Neolithic Iberian societies, opening avenues for further research into ancient technologies.