75,000-year-old Neanderthal shoulder wound may be oldest wooden spear attack

A circular hole in a Neanderthal shoulder blade from Shanidar Cave, dated to 75,000 years ago, is interpreted as a fatal wound from a sharp wooden spear, potentially the oldest evidence of lethal interpersonal violence in the human fossil record. The claim is based on forensic analysis of the bone lesion, but the absence of soft tissue and the possibility of post-depositional damage leave some uncertainty. This finding reshapes understanding of Neanderthal behavior and early human conflict.