Oldest known poison arrows show Stone Age humans’ technological talents
Summary
Traces of a toxic plant compound (buphandrine) were detected on 60,000-year-old microlith arrowheads from the Umhlatuzana rock shelter in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The chemical evidence indicates Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers prepared poisoned arrows, implying complex planning, detailed botanical knowledge and safe handling techniques.
The study (Isaksson et al., Sci. Adv.) analysed ten ~1 cm microliths; five carried buphandrine residues. Similar compounds were found on ethnographic 18th-century arrows, supporting continuity in hunting practice. The finding pushes back the earliest chemical proof of poisoned projectiles and adds to mounting evidence for sophisticated behaviour in early modern humans.
Key Points
- Chemical analysis found buphandrine on five of ten microliths from Umhlatuzana (dated to about 60,000 years ago).
- Buphandrine is produced by the native poison-bulb plant Boophone disticha and is highly toxic to mammals.
- Small stone microliths, too tiny to be lethal on their own, were likely deliberately poisoned to make arrows effective—this required multi-step preparation and careful handling.
- Comparable residues on 1700s-collected arrowheads and ethnographic accounts indicate long-standing hunting traditions using poisoned projectiles in the region.
- The discovery complements earlier finds (Kruger Cave, Border Cave) and strengthens the view that Palaeolithic people had advanced plant knowledge and technological skills long before agriculture.
Content summary
Researchers used biomolecular methods to test tiny stone flakes (microliths) excavated at Umhlatuzana. Despite the expectation that organic compounds degrade over tens of thousands of years, they identified buphandrine — a toxic molecule tied to Boophone disticha — on several pieces. The authors argue that such residues are best explained by deliberate application of plant toxins to projectile tips, a process likened to following a complex recipe because of the multiple preparation steps and inherent danger.
The paper places this chemical evidence alongside archaeological and ethnographic records that suggest continuity in hunting technology and plant use. It highlights that these hunter-gatherers possessed sophisticated ecological knowledge and planning abilities well before the Neolithic.
Context and relevance
This discovery bolsters the growing body of evidence that early modern humans in southern Africa displayed complex behaviours—planning, causal reasoning and specialised plant use—by at least 60,000 years ago. For specialists in human evolution, archaeology and palaeobotany, it provides rare molecular proof of technological sophistication. It also feeds broader debates about the timing and nature of cognitive and cultural developments in our species.
Why should I read this?
Because it’s proper fascinating — our Stone Age ancestors weren’t just lucky; they were clever engineers and amateur chemists. Tiny stone tips plus a poisonous bulb equals a major rethink about how inventive and informed early humans were. If you like neat stories about human ingenuity, this one saves you the digging and gives the headline in plain English.
Source
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00051-8
Article Date: 07 January 2026
Author: Nicola Jones
Image: https://media.nature.com/lw767/magazine-assets/d41586-026-00051-8/d41586-026-00051-8_51917382.jpg