The Most Painful Weapon of History

This "cutting edge" Mesolithic technology may appear primitive compared to metal tipped spears and arrows from later periods, but it may very well be more terrifying. Microliths are small, processed stone blades flaked off a prepared core of flint, chert, obsidian, or other knappable material. Several of them were glued on to the hafts of spears and arrows in different configurations. Seems simple, but they were viciously effective. Let's look at a few archaeological examples, and also a historical account of the brutal effect of an Australian Aboriginal "death spear". This video is not sponsored in any way, but there is something I have a personal interest in, which I'd like to bring to your attention. Please consider supporting Jarred Younger's research on ME/CFS by donating to the UAB: go.uab.edu/youngerlab The video about the research process that I referred to:    • 091 - Fighting neuroinflammation: An update   ** Sources / Credits ** “Flintknapping a Quartz Microlith” by Pathways of the Past    • Flintknapping a Quartz Microlith and the O...   “Microblade Microburin Microlith” by Blattspitze    • Microblade Microburin Microlith   “Making 5 Tools from One Stone Core” by Paleolithic Productions    • Making 5 Tools from One Stone Core   http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://www.researchgate.net/figure/C... https://journals.openedition.org/pale... Development of Microlithic Projectile Weapons in the Stone Age https://biblio.naturalsciences.be/ass... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... https://scitechdaily.com/jebel-sahaba... https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159... The stone implements of Australia https://media.australian.museum/media... The Rönneholm Arrow https://www.researchgate.net/publicat... Direct evidence for poison use on microlithic arrowheads in Southern Africa https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/s... https://www.researchgate.net/publicat... https://www.rahs.org.au/wp-content/up... https://www.researchgate.net/publicat... https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowl... https://nordjyskemuseer.dk/mikrolitte... https://www.researchgate.net/publicat... A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson by Captain Watkin Tench https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e0008... https://artoceanic.com/works/four-ear... https://www.arthurbeaupalmer.com/gall... Outtakes music: "Little People At Work" by Horrorpen https://opengameart.org/content/littl... Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license (CC BY 3.0) ** Support the channel ** You can help tp keep the channel going, get bonus content and access to an exclusive Discord server:   / skallagrim      / @skallagrim   If you prefer not to subscribe to anything, one-time donations are welcome too: https://www.paypal.me/SkallagrimYT #skallagrim #history #historicalweapons #stoneage