Archaeologists Discover ‘Monumental’ Hunting Kit in Texas, Potentially the Oldest in North America

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The artifacts discovered in a cave—which include dart tips, a boomerang, and a spear-throwing tool—were dated to as far back as 7,000 years ago

Lillian Ali – Staff Contributor

April 8, 2025 4:42 p.m.

Archaeological exploration at the San Esteban Rockshelter in western Texas has unearthed a collection of historic artifacts, including dart tips, remnants of a spear, and portions of an animal hide. This site, located near Marfa, Texas, served as a temporary shelter for prehistoric hunters who left behind their tools after a brief stopover approximately 6,500 years ago. Recent excavations have brought these long-forgotten items to light.

The findings emerged from careful research over the past several years, during which researchers have analyzed a range of materials such as preserved human waste and the traces of a small campfire. Among the notable discoveries are a folded animal hide, wooden darts tipped with stone, a boomerang, parts of a spear-throwing device, and wooden shafts likely intended for poison delivery. The array of tools on display suggests that this collection might represent the earliest complete weapon system ever found on the North American continent, as noted by Louie Bond in Texas Parks and Wildlife.

“We were astonished by what we found; it was unlike anything I had ever seen before,” remarked Bryon Schroeder, an archaeologist and director of the Center for Big Bend Studies at Sul Ross State University, in an interview with the New York Times. “These discoveries give a more vivid sense of the past, making it clear that these were real people living their lives.”

The excavation initiative was launched by the Odyssey Archaeological Research program from the University of Kansas, collaborating with the Center for Big Bend Studies. For six years, the teams have systematically explored the San Esteban Rockshelter looking for traces of some of North America’s earliest inhabitants. Their first significant finds began in 2020, and yearly excavations have yielded increasing numbers of artifacts, as reported by Tom Metcalfe of Live Science.

The oldest artifact identified so far is an atlatl or spear-thrower, which researchers have determined to be nearly 7,000 years old; in a 2023 published study, it was highlighted as potentially the oldest of its kind on the continent. Additionally, the preserved hide belonged to a pronghorn, an animal noted for its long-standing presence in the region, and remarkably, remnants of its original fur were found intact after thousands of years.

As Schroeder described the moment the team uncovered the hide, he expressed a sense of wonder: “We all just sat there in awe. This hide was folded and placed perfectly on that rock, untouched for millennia.”

James David Kilby, a specialist in hunter-gatherer anthropology at Texas State University, commented on the significance of these findings, telling the New York Times that the combination of stone tools alongside organic materials such as wood illustrates the complexity of prehistoric tool use strategies. He emphasized that the presence of preserved wooden artifacts is particularly valuable, given their rarity due to rapid decay in archaeological contexts. This organic matter can yield critical insights into the environment during that period.

As researchers continue their analysis, they aim to establish whether the assembled artifacts represent a single toolkit or originate from distinct timelines. The team is also coordinating with Indigenous communities for approval to conduct examinations on the human waste found at the site, which could offer valuable information regarding the dietary habits and genetic makeup of early populations.

With ongoing efforts to decode the significance and chronology of the findings, scientists are poised to uncover new layers of understanding about the lives and cultural practices of early hunter-gatherers. As noted by Schroeder, the realization that this could indeed represent a contemporaneous tool kit would make it a remarkably significant discovery.

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