Nature February 1997 PMID 9039910

Lower Palaeolithic hunting spears from Germany.

H Thieme

Mentions

49
Peak: 7 in Jan 2019
across 4 sources since Jan 2019

Extended reach

219,083
potential audience

Total likes

6,439

Video views

188,480

Mentions per month

Jan 2019 – Jul 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter19 posts
  • News17 articles
  • Blogs11 articles
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions demonstrate a high level of interest and engagement, with users referencing recent discoveries and debates on who invented spears, as seen in questions like 'Who invented the spear & when?' and comments linking to videos about human evolution, which reflect a curiosity about the technological and cultural significance of these findings.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the idea that early humans used sophisticated spears, with some specifically referencing the significance of such findings for understanding human evolution.

InterestHigh interest

Participants show high curiosity, as many posts wonder about the origins and inventors of spears, including questions about gender roles and technological development.

EngagementModerate engagement

Conversations include references to other research, comparisons to chimpanzee behavior, and mentions of videos and sources, indicating moderate depth of engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

The topic appears to influence perceptions of early human behavior and technology, sparking debates about cultural and gender implications in artifact invention.

Abstract in brief

  • These wooden throwing spears from around 400,000 years ago, discovered in Germany, are believed to be the oldest complete hunting weapons, indicating early humans engaged in systematic hunting.
  • Found alongside stone tools and horse remains, these spears suggest that premodern hominids used advanced technology and planning during hunting activities.
  • The existence of such sophisticated spears challenges current theories on early human behavior and culture, implying that early humans had more complex behaviors than previously thought.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Stated Clearly - Jon Perry
@StatedClearly · X

Stefan Milo makes great videos about anthropology and human evolution Here's one on who invented the first spear: https://t.co/4icksK75sj You can follow him here on twitter after subscribing to his YouTube: @Historysmilo

Dec 31, 2019 · 5 likes · 1 share · 4,587 followers View post →
Stefan Milosavljevich
@Historysmilo · X

The spear, womankind's deadliest weapon? #archaeology https://t.co/D3Lu2CA88C

Jan 13, 2019 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 6,968 followers View post →
Homo
@TheFirstHomo · X

@SchattigeDer 400,000 BC. The earliest evidence of humans using spears, in a part of Germany now near Schöningen (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/385807a0). One population of modern chimpanzees in Senegal uses spears to hunt bushbabies. The technology may have been used by our most primitive ancestors.

Nov 16, 2022 · 2 likes · 2 followers View post →
Psyche
@LateForTea5 · X

@wil_da_beast630 https://t.co/12d5gROsyd Stefan Milo is not Woke at all, and an expert in this field. It's very possible that female hominids invented spears, not males. This is based on chimp behavior, where females fashion spear-like tools to hunt prey, and males do not.

Oct 18, 2023 · 1 like · 850 followers View post →
gymrat scientist ⚛️
@hurin_telperion · X

Gostei de um vídeo @YouTube https://t.co/s13joZvprG Invented The Spear & When?

Jan 13, 2019 · 3,471 followers View post →
Wilson Pitts
@taijicoach · X

Who Invented The Spear & When? https://t.co/kluFnZA7pM via @YouTube

Aug 1, 2020 · 2,799 followers View post →

All mentions

Roger Sayer
@Borissidis89 · X

https://t.co/4fNuyuP1aV

Jul 30, 2025 · 1,605 followers View post →
Psyche
@LateForTea5 · X

@wil_da_beast630 https://t.co/12d5gROsyd Stefan Milo is not Woke at all, and an expert in this field. It's very possible that female hominids invented spears, not males. This is based on chimp behavior, where females fashion spear-like tools to hunt prey, and males do not.

Oct 18, 2023 · 1 like · 850 followers View post →
虚実歴史・漢字論・ナツメロ
@kyojitsurekishi · X

Published: 27 February 1997 Lower Palaeolithic hunting spears from Germany Hartmut Thieme(平成9年) Nature volume 385, pages807–810 (1997) https://t.co/Bp8RZVtaiN

Nov 27, 2022 · 1,110 followers View post →
Homo
@TheFirstHomo · X

@SchattigeDer 400,000 BC. The earliest evidence of humans using spears, in a part of Germany now near Schöningen (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/385807a0). One population of modern chimpanzees in Senegal uses spears to hunt bushbabies. The technology may have been used by our most primitive ancestors.

Nov 16, 2022 · 2 likes · 2 followers View post →
Homo
@TheFirstHomo · X

@gigachad8869 400,000 BC. The earliest evidence of humans using spears, in a part of Germany now near Schöningen (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/385807a0). One population of modern chimpanzees in Senegal uses spears to hunt bushbabies.

Nov 16, 2022 · 2 followers View post →
monte letourneau
@MonteLetourneau · X

Feb 15, 2021 · 64 followers View post →
Wilson Pitts
@taijicoach · X

Who Invented The Spear & When? https://t.co/kluFnZA7pM via @YouTube

Aug 1, 2020 · 2,799 followers View post →
Igor Brejc
@breki74 · X

Did women and children invent spears as the mankind oldest weapon? https://t.co/uOY25HLqeO

Jan 13, 2020 · 1,321 followers View post →
Katie Redden
@kth8su2 · X

Who Invented The Spear & When? https://t.co/TWyqonfe28

Jan 13, 2020 · 19 followers View post →
RED DIRT TRASH
@TXConquistador · X

RT @StatedClearly: Stefan Milo makes great videos about anthropology and human evolution Here's one on who invented the first spear: https:…

Jan 1, 2020 · 1 share · 1,675 followers View post →
Stated Clearly - Jon Perry
@StatedClearly · X

Stefan Milo makes great videos about anthropology and human evolution Here's one on who invented the first spear: https://t.co/4icksK75sj You can follow him here on twitter after subscribing to his YouTube: @Historysmilo

Dec 31, 2019 · 5 likes · 1 share · 4,587 followers View post →
Carlos Bucio Borja
@Loboestepario22 · X

https://t.co/x8NINhz1ul https://t.co/x8NINhz1ul

Dec 7, 2019 · 252 followers View post →
Marcos
@intheldermoon · X

https://t.co/fPd8VeTXuM

Nov 30, 2019 · 189 followers View post →
gymrat scientist ⚛️
@hurin_telperion · X

Gostei de um vídeo @YouTube https://t.co/s13joZvprG Invented The Spear & When?

Jan 13, 2019 · 3,471 followers View post →
Mark Sundaram
@Alliterative · X

RT @Historysmilo: The spear, womankind's deadliest weapon? #archaeology https://t.co/D3Lu2CA88C

Jan 13, 2019 · 2 shares · 2,124 followers View post →
Gary T. Sottile
@GPZO · X

Who Invented The Spear & When? https://t.co/N7bROMab2s via @YouTube

Jan 13, 2019 · 1,079 followers View post →
Gary T. Sottile
@GPZO · X

Who Invented The Spear & When? https://t.co/WLTDtcC5WG

Jan 13, 2019 · 1,079 followers View post →
Jan Haugland
@JanHaugland · X

RT @Historysmilo: The spear, womankind's deadliest weapon? #archaeology https://t.co/D3Lu2CA88C

Jan 13, 2019 · 2 shares · 1,392 followers View post →
Stefan Milosavljevich
@Historysmilo · X

The spear, womankind's deadliest weapon? #archaeology https://t.co/D3Lu2CA88C

Jan 13, 2019 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 6,968 followers View post →