Mammoth spear thrower
Encyclopedia
The Mammoth spear thrower is a spear thrower in the form of a Mammoth
, discovered at the rock shelter
of Montastruc, Tarn-et-Garonne
, France. It is from the late Magdalenian
period and around 12,500 years old. It now forms part of the Christy Collection
in the British Museum
.
Spear throwers were first used in western Europe about 18,000 years ago and enabled hunters to launch spears with more force and speed than if they threw just by hand. It was common for them to be decorated with animal carvings.
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
, discovered at the rock shelter
Rock shelter
A rock shelter is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff....
of Montastruc, Tarn-et-Garonne
Montastruc, Tarn-et-Garonne
Montastruc is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.Montrastruc is the site of a rock shelter in which prehistoric remains have been found...
, France. It is from the late Magdalenian
Magdalenian
The Magdalenian , refers to one of the later cultures of the Upper Paleolithic in western Europe, dating from around 17,000 BP to 9,000 BP...
period and around 12,500 years old. It now forms part of the Christy Collection
Henry Christy
Henry Christy was an English banker and collector who left his substantial collections to the British Museum.-Early life:...
in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Features
The spear thrower was carved from a reindeer antler and depicts a Mammoth with a hole for an eye which probably held a bone or stone insert originally. The hook has been repaired after the antler from which it was carved broke. The tusks of the Mammoth appear on each side but have mostly been lost due to damage. It is about 12cm in length.Spear throwers were first used in western Europe about 18,000 years ago and enabled hunters to launch spears with more force and speed than if they threw just by hand. It was common for them to be decorated with animal carvings.
Further reading
- Sieveking, Ann. A catalogue of Palaeolithic art in the British Museum. London: British Museum Publications, 1987. ISBN 071411376X
