Students digging in German cave unearth weapons and 9,000-year-old fireplace. See them
Inside a cave of western Germany, archaeologists and students carefully sifted through the rocky soil. Their work uncovered several exceptional finds, including a prehistoric fireplace and weaponry.
Professional archaeologists led a team of 21 university students on a three-month-long excavation of Blätterhöhle cave, a known prehistoric site, the Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association for Archaeology said in a Nov. 7 news release.
During the dig, the team found a 9,000-year-old fireplace, a unique find for the site. The hearth measured just over 2 feet in size and had an outer stone ring. Some of the stones showed traces of heat exposure.
Nearby, archaeologists unearthed three flint arrowheads, an unusual prehistoric weapon for the region. A photo shows the well-preserved, sharpened stones.
Excavations also uncovered a bone harpoon hook, officials said. The weapon fragment measured about 2 inches and had two barbs. Photos show the tan-brown point.
Archaeologists don’t know the age of the bone hook but said it matches a harpoon style used at the end of the Paleolithic era.
Archaeologists described the recent finds as exceptional and unique.
Excavations ended in October and involved students from Ruhr University Bochum, the University of Bonn and the University of Cologne, officials said.
Blätterhöhle cave is in Hagen and a roughly 300-mile drive west from Berlin.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association for Archaeology (LWL).
This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Students digging in German cave unearth weapons and 9,000-year-old fireplace. See them."
