Poison-Laced Arrows date back about 60,000 years

Researchers report chemical traces of plant-derived poisons on quartz arrow tips from Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in a layer dated to about 60,000 years ago, and identify alkaloids consistent with plants in the Amaryllidaceae family. The finding, published in Science Advances, pushes back confirmed evidence of poison weapons by tens of thousands of years.

New analysis of tiny stone arrow tips from a South African rock shelter finds chemical traces that researchers interpret as plant-derived poison dating to about 60,000 years ago. The study, published in Science Advances, examined artifacts from Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter in KwaZulu-Natal and reports residues matching alkaloids associated with local Amaryllidaceae plants. This evidence is presented as much older than previously confirmed examples of poisoned weapons and is discussed in the context of hunting strategies and cognitive abilities of hunter-gatherers. Key findings: - Ten quartz arrow tips from a sediment layer dated to about 60,000 years ago were selected for microchemical analysis because they retained microscopic residue. - Five of those arrow tips contained residues identified as the alkaloid buphandrine, and one also showed epibuphanisine; both are plant-derived compounds in the Amaryllidaceae family. - The researchers cite Boophone disticha, a bulbous species locally known as "poison bulb," as the most likely source, noting historical records and modern chemical matches, though they do not report direct evidence of the plant at the site 60,000 years ago. - The authors note that these poisons would likely act slowly on prey, and they describe this technology as requiring knowledge of plant chemistry, timing, and planned hunting strategies. - Earlier unequivocal evidence for poison-weapon use had dated to the mid-Holocene (roughly 7,000–5,000 years ago), so this result substantially extends the timeline of confirmed poison use. Summary: The study reports the oldest direct chemical evidence yet for poisoned arrow tips, suggesting that hunter-gatherers in southern Africa used plant-derived toxins by about 60,000 years ago. The researchers say the finding implies deliberate exploitation of plant biochemistry and planning in hunting, and they plan further analyses of other layers at the site to determine whether poison-arrow use continued over time.