What are the oldest weapons in the world?

The oldest weapons in the world are spears, specifically the spears found in Schöningen, Germany in 1995 dated to c. 400,000 BCE

What were weapons originally made of?

Weapons were originally made of wood and stone.

What is the oldest gun in the world?

The oldest firearm found to date is the Heilongjiang Hand Cannon from China, dated to c. 1288.

What are the oldest swords in the world?

The oldest swords in the world were discovered only in the 1980s at Arslantepe Mound in Turkey and date to c. 3300 BCE.

A Gallery of Prehistoric and Ancient Weapons (Image Gallery) p. 14

Image Gallery

by Joshua J. Mark
published on 08 October 2024

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Japanese Inlaid Iron Sword (Detail)

by James Blake Wiener
published on 24 May 2017

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Japanese Inlaid Iron Sword (Detail) — View Full-Size Image

A detail of an inlaid iron sword. From Eta Funayama Tumulus, Nagomi-machi, Tamana-gun, Kumamoto, Japan. Kofun Period, 5th-6th century CE. National Treasure.

Tokyo National Museum.

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Questions & Answers

What are the oldest weapons in the world?: The oldest weapons in the world are spears, specifically the spears found in Schöningen, Germany in 1995 dated to c. 400,000 BCE
What were weapons originally made of?: Weapons were originally made of wood and stone.
What is the oldest gun in the world?: The oldest firearm found to date is the Heilongjiang Hand Cannon from China, dated to c. 1288.
What are the oldest swords in the world?: The oldest swords in the world were discovered only in the 1980s at Arslantepe Mound in Turkey and date to c. 3300 BCE.

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External Links

10 Oldest Swords Ever Discovered - Oldest.org

oldest.org

World's Oldest Spears - Archaeology Magazine Archive

archaeology.org

Archaeologists Find 3,000-Year-Old Sword So Well Preserved It 'Almost Still Shines' | Smithsonian

smithsonianmag.com

Evidence of Bows and Arrows Found in the South of France | Real Archaeology

vassar.edu

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