Arrowheads with plant poison have been discovered in the Kruger Cave in South Africa, indicating the knowledge of Stone Age people in botany and hunting technologies.
In the Kruger Cave, located in South Africa, scientists have identified a unique artifact – an antelope femur with three arrowheads that contained plant poison. Arkeonews reports on the discovery.
The find, dated 7,000 years ago, opens up new horizons of understanding how ancient people used botanical knowledge for hunting.
The femur was found back in 1983, but it was stored at the University of the Witwatersrand for more than four decades without being studied in depth. Only recently, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Justin Bradfield conducted a chemical analysis of the tips and found that they were covered in a complex plant poison.
The poison included cardiac glycosides, digitoxin, strophanthidin and retinol acid – substances that could cause serious heart disorders. It is noteworthy that none of the plants that contain these toxins grow near the cave. This suggests that the ingredients could have been brought from other regions via trade routes that existed even in those distant times.
This discovery confirms the high level of knowledge and creativity of the ancient hunters who used such tips to hunt wild animals.
Rock paintings depicting human figures, animals and birds were also found near the cave. These faded images add value to this site as a unique cultural and archaeological monument.
It was previously reported that a medieval cesspool with a unique shoe, dating from the late 15th – early 16th centuries, was found in the Netherlands.
