Archaeologists from Brazil and the United States uncovered whale bone harpoons, dating to roughly 2900 BCE, which might be the earliest evidence of active whaling globally. The research is published in the journal Nature Communications.
The harpoons were situated in shell mounds (sambaquis) in Babitonga Bay, where remnants of fish, shells, and human artifacts accumulated over centuries. The elongated bone shafts, sharpened at the tips, were likely utilized alongside poles and air bladders to stop the whale from submerging and haul it ashore.
Molecular analysis of proteins confirmed that the implements were crafted from bones of southern right whales, which inhabit the coast. Hunting these creatures provided substantial food resources for communities and social standing for the hunters. Despite the absence of direct puncture marks on bones, the discoveries alongside the harpoons offer solid circumstantial proof of marine whaling nearly 5000 years ago.
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