A 15mm hole in a Neanderthal shoulder blade from a 75,000-year-old individual found in Iraqi Kurdistan may represent the earliest known use of a sharpened wooden spear in lethal interpersonal violence, according to researchers from the University of Cambridge. The wound's angle and shape, consistent with experimental reconstructions of wooden spears, indicate the spear entered the chest, likely damaging a lung and major blood vessels, and exited through the shoulder blade, leaving a near-perfect circular hole. The remains, designated Shanidar A, were recovered alongside a right hand, three ribs, and teeth in the same cave. Lead author Dr. Emma Pomeroy noted the wound's unnatural circularity, distinct from typical bone fractures, and cited experiments showing reconstructed wooden spears produce similar damage. While the cause remains debated — potentially a hunting accident rather than intentional violence — the positioning of the injury suggests a targeted strike, possibly aimed at the heart. This finding aligns with other evidence of Neanderthal violence, including healed rib fractures from a 50,000-year-old individual in the same cave and 430,000-year-old skull wounds from Spain's Pit of Bones site, where repeated fatal injuries imply deliberate attacks. Experts like Prof. Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum argue these cases point to violence predating agricultural societies, challenging earlier assumptions that organized conflict emerged only with settled farming communities. The research, published in Scientific Reports, contributes to ongoing discussions about the depth of human aggression in prehistoric societies, though researchers emphasize the evidence does not confirm widespread warfare but rather sporadic, potentially lethal encounters.