NEOLITHIC SLING STONE BALL PROJECTILE FROM DENMARK *N220

Product Description

SEE MORE EUROPEAN NEOLITHIC TOOLS AND ARTIFACTS

Found in association with numerous flint Neolithic tools, this sling stone ball projectile is a rare artifact from this period.  It features excellent workmanship and shaping to achieve its well-made spherical form.  Slings were used in both hunting and combat and a stone projectile of this size would have been equally fatal to large game as well as against human enemies.  It is perfect as originally made with ancient mineral deposits deep in all micro-crevices - a trait only seen in authentic, unaltered specimens. 

HISTORY

A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone, clay, or lead "sling-bullet".  Historically it has been used for hunting game and in combat.  The sling is an ancient weapon known to Neolithic peoples around the Mediterranean, but is likely much older. It is possible that the sling was invented during the Upper Palaeolithic at a time when new technologies such as the spear-thrower and the bow and arrow were emerging.

A sling has a small cradle or pouch in the middle of two retention cords.  A projectile is placed in the pouch.  There is a loop on the end of one side of the retention cords.  Depending on the design of the sling, either the middle finger or the wrist is placed through a loop on the end of one cord, and a tab at the end of the other cord is placed between the thumb and forefinger.  The sling is swung in an arc, and the tab released at a precise moment.  This action releases the projectile to fly to the target.  The sling is much more than merely an extension of a human arm.  By its double-pendulum kinetics, the sling enables stones (or spears) to be thrown much further than they could be by hand alone.