“Unique” and “deadly” is what archaeologists describe about special artifacts recently unearthed on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.

According to an article published in Antiquity magazine, these are very special blades made from tiger shark teeth and are the world’s oldest evidence of using shark teeth as weapons.

With their age and special manufacturing method, the two blades are priceless treasures.

Two tiger shark tooth blades found in Indonesia and ancient weapons from Hawaii suggest its possible uses – (Photo: THE CONVERSATION/British MUSEUM)

The artifacts were discovered in a joint research between the Center for Human Evolution Research, Griffith University (Australia), Hasanuddin University and the National Research and Innovation Center – BRIN (Indonesia).

They helped reveal a mysterious society that lived in the southwest of Sulawesi island about 8,000 years ago. People only know that there is such a community in Indonesia, but how they live, how they make a living, and when they disappear is still unanswered.

A complete tooth was found at Leang Panninge cave , with 2 holes pierced through the root. The other one was found at Leang Bulu’Sipong 1 cave , with a hole, partially broken, so scientists think it may have also had 2 holes.

According to The Conversation , examination results of the tooth edges showed that they were used to stab, cut and scrape meat and bones. The damage is much greater than the natural wear on shark teeth when they eat in the wild, suggesting that the stabbing, cutting, and scraping acts were done by humans.

The holes and traces in the tooth roots also show that ancient people here used tiger shark teeth as blades, attached to something else.

It is reminiscent of some more recent weapons found in other coastal communities, for example in Hawaii – USA, where one or more teeth were attached to the hilt. However, the processing method applied to tiger shark teeth in Indonesia is still unique.

Combining many other factors, scientists believe that the shark tooth blade in Indonesia was used in a ritual tool or in conflict, which does not rule out the possibility of terrible impact marks on the animals. The blade is on humans, not animal flesh.

Findings from around the world show that sharks played an important role in the history of many communities. They are hunted not only for food but also to provide raw materials to make weapons, jewelry, and ritual tools.

Archaeological treasures in Indonesia have a record date of 7,000 years, while other artifacts observed around the world have the oldest date of 5,000 years.

In addition to Indonesia and Hawaii, shark tooth tools have been excavated on several islands in Papua New Guinea and Brazil.