The Clacton Spear: Oldest Wooden Artefact Ever Found In Britain

The Clacton Spear is the oldest preserved wooden spear in the world.

The Natural History Museum in London currently has the Clacton Spear on display, where its age is estimated to be 420,000 years old.

Discovered in Essex in 1911, the ancient spear was made from yew wood and whittled to a point with a stone tool by a Neanderthal.

Neanderthals were a species of ancient humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago.

They are often depicted as having a robust build, prominent brow ridges, and a distinctive large nose.

Neanderthals were skilled hunters and toolmakers, capable of adapting to a variety of environments.

They had a complex culture, including evidence of using fire, creating tools, burying their dead, and possibly even symbolic behaviour.

Yew wood, which was used to craft this ancient spear, is known for its strength and flexibility, making it suitable for making tools and implements.

Spears were essential hunting tools for Neanderthals, and yew wood would have been a suitable choice for spear shafts due to its strength and ability to absorb shock.

The flexibility of yew wood could have enhanced the performance of spears by allowing them to bend without breaking upon impact with prey.

Additionally, the toxicity of yew wood might have served as a deterrent to predators, providing an additional layer of protection.

Discovering The Clacton Spear

In 1911, an eminent amateur prehistorian pulled the broken end of a pointed wooden shaft from Palaeolithic-
age sediments at a seaside town in Essex.

This ancient artefact, still the earliest worked wood to be discovered in the 5 world, became known as the Clacton spear.

Over the past one hundred years it has variously been interpreted as a projectile weapon, a stave, a digging stick, a snow probe, a lance, a game stake and a prod to ward off rival scavengers.

These perspectives have followed academic fashions and as the popular views of early hominins have altered.

Since discovery, the Clacton spear has also been replicated twice, has undergone physical transformations due to preservation treatments, and has featured in two public exhibitions.

When it was excavated from waterlogged sediment the spear possessed high water content but has since been treated with glycerol, alum and paraffin wax, and allowed to dry out.

Comparison with early casts and documentation shows that shrinkage and warping have occurred.

When it was discovered in a foreshore exposure of Pleistocene sediments near 20 Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, the tip of a wooden spear, encrusted with calcium carbonate, was mistaken for an antler tine.

Reacting to the photos on social media, someone said: “Wow, Yew must be the toughest uk wood. Looks as lethal as the day it was shaped.”

Another person added: “It makes you wonder what other achievements the earlier species of genus homo were capable of.”

Neanderthals hunting for food

Neanderthals were intelligent hunters who likely employed strategic planning before embarking on hunting expeditions.

They may have observed animal behaviours, tracked prey movements, and selected appropriate hunting grounds based on seasonal changes and the availability of resources.

Before hunting, Neanderthals would have prepared their tools and weapons. This might involve crafting spears with yew wood shafts or fashioning stone-tipped weapons for hunting large game.

The use of tools allowed Neanderthals to effectively engage with their prey and increase their chances of a successful hunt.

Neanderthals were likely communal hunters, working together in coordinated efforts to take down large game.

Hunting in groups allowed them to strategize, surround prey, and effectively bring down animals larger than themselves. Cooperation within groups also facilitated the sharing of resources and the division of labour.

Neanderthals inhabited diverse environments, from forests to open grasslands, and adapted their hunting techniques accordingly.

They might have employed different hunting strategies depending on the terrain and the behaviour of the prey species they targeted.

For instance, in forested areas, they might have used stealth and ambush tactics, while on open plains, they might have relied on speed and endurance to chase down prey.

Hunting was not the sole means of acquiring food for Neanderthals. They were also opportunistic scavengers, taking advantage of carcasses left behind by other predators or natural events.

Additionally, Neanderthals likely supplemented their diet with plant foods, fish, and shellfish, showcasing their adaptability and diverse subsistence practices.

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