Weapons of the prehistoric ocean culture: scientists have found 7000-year-old tiger shark knives (photo)
Before that, the oldest famous shark teeth blades were less than 5,000 years old, Arkeonews writes. In focus, technology appeared its Telegram channel. Subscribe not to miss the latest and most intrusive news from the world of science! These unique shark teeth are associated with the mysterious culture of Toal and hint at the rituals and the war of the era that preceded the appearance of Neolithic farmers in Indonesia.
The Tale's culture has lived in southwest Sulawesi for many millennia, before the arrival of Neolithic farmers from mainland Asia. Researchers, including Australian and Indonesian scientists, used a combination of scientific analysis, experimental reproduction and understanding of modern human society to understand how these teeth were transformed into blades.
They found that the shark teeth were attached to the sleeve made from a mixture of minerals, plants, materials of animal origin and plant origin - a method similar to that used in modern blades from shark teeth of different cultures of the Pacific. Tooth studies have shown that they were used for piercing, cutting and scraping the flesh and bones, which indicates greater damage than those of the shark teeth could naturally be obtained during hunting.
This indicates that then, then they did not use these knives for everyday tasks, despite what may seem at first glance. You can be surprised why ancient crops chose shark teeth as weapons. At that time, the only accessible technology for ocean societies was the Neolithic development period, so they had to work with what they had. Metal tools appeared only after contact with Europeans in the 17-18 centuries.
Shark knives were effective for deep cuts, but their sharpness had a drawback - they were easily stamped, making them less suitable for conventional tasks. As a consequence, they were most likely stored for special cases or conflicts, and not used as kitchenware. This discovery shows the adaptability of ancient cultures and their ability to create tools from improvised materials.
It also gives an idea of the importance of shark teeth in the culture of communities around the world, from Kribati to Hawaii islands that used them as weapons, rituals and even tattoo tools. Finally, the findings of shark teeth in Sulawes, which is 7,000 years old, is a fascinating discovery that sheds light on the ingenuity of ancient societies and their deep connection with the world of nature.