Cazadores de ciervos: An Online Exhibition on Upper Paleolithic Hunting Tools and Experimental Archaeology

This online exhibit delves into experimental archaeology, analyzing how spear-throwers and javelins were designed, produced, and used during the Upper Paleolithic period. It explores the specialization of hunters, particularly in the Cantabrian region, and examines the historical significance and finds related to the propulsor tool, including an exceptional example from El Castillo cave.

Under the title 'Cazadores de ciervos' (Deer Hunters), this presentation analyzes the design, production, and utilization of spear-throwers and javelins from the perspective of experimental archaeology during the Upper Paleolithic. The content highlights the specialization of hunters, which emerged in the Upper Paleolithic, leading to preferences for specific prey species and selective use of animal parts. In the Cantabrian coastal territory, renowned for sites like Altamira and El Juyo, the hunting of deer was prevalent, with exceptions like goat hunting in rocky areas such as Rascaño. The spear-thrower is presented as a tool that has accompanied humans from prehistory to the present. Its use in the Cantabrian region is documented from the Magdalenian period, with historical parallels found globally. The text references the identification of early Paleolithic spear-throwers through ethnographic studies, citing French scholar De Mortillet. The exceptional propulsor found in El Castillo cave, made of deer antler and dated to the Lower Magdalenian, is noted as unique in the Cantabrian region and comparable to finds from Mas d’Azil in France. Additional resources are provided for further reading on Paleolithic fauna, hunting, and the El Castillo propulsor.