World's Oldest War Weapons Factory Existed 7,200 Years Ago In Israel

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The projectiles' standard aerodynamic form made them a nasty piece of work.



Mass-produced slingstones provide the earliest evidence for industrial production of weapons in the Levant.

Image credit: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority

The earliest known factory for the production of standardized war weaponry may have been established during the early Copper Age in modern-day Israel. Based on an analysis of hundreds of stone projectiles recovered from two archaeological sites, researchers have concluded that the items were mass-produced, indicating the highly organized arming of warriors in preparation for battle around 7,200 years ago.

Archaeologists examined 424 slingstones found at the ancient settlements of ‘En Esur and ‘En Zippori, which were inhabited between 5800 and 4500 BCE. Noting that the stones appeared virtually identical, the researchers determined that the weapons were crafted to standard specifications, with an average length of 52 millimeters (2 inches), width of 31 millimeters (1.2 inches), and weight of 60 grams (2.1 ounces).

“The stones, that were intended to be projected from a sling, are smoothed, with a specific biconical aerodynamic form, enabling exact and effective projection,” said the Israel Antiquities Authority in a statement via email. In an accompanying study, the researchers explain that the biconical design “has been accepted as optimum for sling projectiles” and was later adopted by both the Greek and Roman armies.

“These stones are, in fact, the earliest evidence of warfare in the Southern Levant. The similarity of the slingstones points to large-scale industrial production,” say the researchers. “The overall uniformity of weight, form, and size of slingstones in the discussed assemblage suggests that the slingstones were systematically manufactured for use by standard users (warriors), equipped with standard slings, allowing them effective training,” they write.

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/worlds-oldest-war-weapons-factory-existed-7200-years-ago-in-israel-71689

You recall the biblical story many U.S. children were taught in "sundy skool" of David and Goliath . . .