Harpoon
device · 90000 BC · Stone Age
A thrown weapon with a barbed point.
What it is made of
- Barbed harpoon head — has part. Barbs keep the prey from slipping off.
- Wooden shaft — has part. A stick for throwing or striking.
- Rope — has part. A line connects the head to the hunter.
Principles and materials it uses
- Bone — is made of. The oldest harpoons (Katanda, ~90,000 years ago) are carved from bone.
- Wedge — uses. A barbed point enters like a wedge and does not come back out.
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Spear — evolved from. A spear with barbs.