SAEDNEWS:Indonesian and Australian researchers exploring caves on Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island have uncovered ancient shark-tooth blades; these distinctive knives were likely used in ritual ceremonies or during warfare.
Excavations on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, have led to an astonishing discovery: two shark teeth shaped into knives, believed to be nearly 7,000 years old.
The find is remarkable because it represents some of the earliest evidence of shark teeth being used as weapons in human history. Previously discovered shark tooth blades were less than 5,000 years old.
Attributed to the enigmatic Toalean culture, these blades shed light on the rituals and conflicts that took place before Neolithic farmers arrived in Indonesia.
As reported in Antiquity magazine, these weapons are not only older but also more sophisticated than any previously discovered shark tooth blades. Australian and Indonesian scientists, using both scientific analysis and experimental reproduction, concluded that the teeth were likely attached to handles, forming usable blades. They were probably employed during ceremonial events or warfare.
Both discovered blades are linked to the Toalean culture, a group of ancient hunter-gatherers who lived in southwestern Sulawesi for thousands of years. They inhabited the island long before Neolithic farmers spread from mainland Asia to Indonesia around 3,500 years ago.
The shark teeth feature distinct holes, likely used to bind them to handles. Further study revealed that the teeth were fastened using plant fibers to handles made from a combination of mineral, plant, and animal materials—a method similar to that found in contemporary shark tooth blades across various Pacific cultures.
Examination of the teeth edges indicates they were used for piercing, cutting, and scraping meat and bone. Moreover, the wear on the teeth far exceeds what a shark’s tooth would endure naturally during its lifetime.
While these findings might suggest that the Toalean people used shark tooth knives as everyday tools, ethnographic studies and archaeological evidence indicate otherwise. Archaeologists believe these blades were reserved for special occasions, such as warfare or ritual events.
Choosing shark teeth as weapons may seem unusual, but in the absence of metal tools, ancient Pacific cultures relied on what was available. It wasn’t until contact with Europeans in the 17th and 18th centuries that they began to adopt metal implements.
Nonetheless, shark tooth knives were far from ineffective. Experimental reproductions show that these blades could make deep cuts. Their main limitation was rapid dulling, which made them less practical for routine tasks but highly effective for creating severe wounds during specific events or conflicts.
