Hemp has been widely used through history both for its great versatility: recreational drug, medicine, raw material for strings, cloth, paper and a lot of other uses. It is believed that the plant was first domesticated in China, maybe Taiwan, and its use in East Asia is widely documented. However there is only limited evidence on when it reached Europe, even if it was clearly known in Antiquity.
The finding of hemp strings attached to a Palmela point and preserved thanks to the oxidization of copper (which is toxic) represents the oldest safe evidence for its use in Europe, dating to the Chalcolithic period ("last
quarter of the 3rd millennium BC").
This amazing discovery took place at the Bela Vista 5 enclosure. A formal study is expected to be published soon.
Source: Portuguese Prehistoric Enclosures.
Update (May 6): Bell Beaker Blogger points me to a most interesting experimental study (Carmen Gutiérrez Saez et al. 2010, in Spanish, freely accessible), where it is demonstrated that copper Palmela points were very effective as arrow points when properly forged (no recooking) and installed in the shaft (to 1/3 of the blade), at the very least the small and medium sizes. Smaller sizes were better for long distance shooting, whole larger ones for short distance damage (ensuring the kill).
He also mentions that the hemp would have made an excellent string for these bows, which were, based on prehistoric evidence, true longbows.
Palmela points were used together with flint ones, usually lighter, what is at the origin of the doubts on their effectiveness.
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| Fig. 2.A. The three sizes of Palmela points. |
He also mentions that the hemp would have made an excellent string for these bows, which were, based on prehistoric evidence, true longbows.
Palmela points were used together with flint ones, usually lighter, what is at the origin of the doubts on their effectiveness.
