The other cognise mill for the output of standardizedwar weaponrymay have been lay down during the former Copper Age in modern - mean solar day Israel . free-base on an analysis of hundreds of I. F. Stone projectiles reclaim from two archeologic sites , investigator have conclude that the items were mass - bring out , indicating the extremely unionized arming of warriors in provision for battle around 7,200 years ago .
Archaeologists see 424 slingstones find at the ancient settlements of ‘ En Esur and ‘ En Zippori , which were inhabited between 5800 and 4500 BCE . Noting that the stones appeared near identical , the researcher determined that the weapon were craft to standard specifications , with an average length of 52 millimeter ( 2 inches ) , width of 31 millimeter ( 1.2 inches ) , and weight of 60 grams ( 2.1 ounces ) .
“ These stones are , in fact , the earliest evidence of warfare in the Southern Levant . The similarity of the slingstones points to large - scale of measurement industrial production , ” say the research worker . “ The overall uniformity of weight , form , and size of it of slingstones in the discussed assemblage suggests that the slingstones were systematically manufactured for employment by standard users ( warriors ) , equip with standard slings , allowing them effective training , ” they pen .
Slingstones from ‘En Zippori.Photo: Gil Haklay, Israel Antiquities Authority
put this find into historical context , the authors say that the evident shift from non - formal slingstones ( such as instinctive pebbles ) to extremely standardized weapons system may designate a proliferation oforganized warfareduring the other Copper Age . This possibility is enhance by the increase in the size of it of settlements in the Southern Levant at this clip , while the remains of “ monumental public buildings ” at both ‘ En Ẓippori and ‘ En Esur hint at “ a graded lodge , involved in interregional or international exchange and prone to conflicts . ”
The fact that the slingstones were often found in clusters also provides clues as to how they were used . agree to the researchers , this arrangement bespeak that the projectile were often displace en masse , whereby “ a slingstone clump may represent ammunition of a barrage to be launched by a group of slingers ” .
“ In warfare , this may cause the breakage of formation in the diametrical rank , ” they say .
Interestingly , these mass - develop artillery dead go away from the archaeological disk about a millennium subsequently , although it ’s unclear if this betoken a decrement in regional hostilities . Despite this , the discovery of the slingstones paints a picture of organized war in the Middle East going back more than 7,000 class and continuing , tragically , to the present daylight .
The study is published in the journal‘Atiqot .
