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The first archaeological evidence for death by spearing in Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID3174174
AuthorsJ Mcdonald (0000-0002-2701-7406, Australian National University), Josephine J Mcdonald, Denise Donlon (0000-0003-1987-240X, The University of Sydney), Judith H Field (0000-0001-6807-1858, The University of Sydney), Richard Fullagar (0000-0003-1047-1466, The University of Sydney), Richard L K Fullagar, Joan Brenner Coltrain (0000-0002-2461-5136, University of Utah), Peter Mitchell (0000-0002-3112-3578), Mark Rawson (Bush Heritage Australia)
Year2007
Volume81
Issue314
Pages877-885
Publication date2007-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAntiquity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-598X • E-ISSN: 1745-1744
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0003598x00095971
OpenAlexW2097969486
LanguageEN
Citations received43
References cited22

An Aboriginal man done to death on the dunes 4000 years ago was recently discovered during excavations beneath a bus shelter in Narrabeen on Sydney's northern beaches. The presence of backed microliths and the evidence for trauma in the bones showed that he had been killed with stone-tipped spears. Now we know how these backed points were used. A punishment ritual is implied by analogies with contact-period observations made in the eighteenth century AD

Ancient history · Archaeological evidence · Archaeology · Art · Excavation · Geography · Period (music) · Punishment (psychology) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · History · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Psychology

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Unique citing works43
Citations per year2,39
Citation span2008 - 2026 (19)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 41
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