Archaeologists uncovered 125,000-year-old stone tools in Saudi Arabia that bear chemical traces of plant poisons, indicating early humans were using sophisticated, toxic weaponry far earlier than previously believed.
The excavation at Uruq Aljelibah revealed roughly 5,000 stone artifacts and fossil remains, including a carefully shaped stone point with residue from the arrow poison tree, preserved adhesives, fibers, and wood fragments around an ancient freshwater lake covering 340 km2 and reaching 29 m deep.
These findings overturn the notion that permanent human settlement was rare in Paleolithic Arabia, showing that "Green Arabia" supported complex societies rather than serving only as a migration corridor between Africa and Asia.
Fossil evidence of hippopotamuses, buffaloes, camels, gazelles, and oryx at the site points to a thriving hunting ground where humans processed game with their advanced tools.
Researchers will now analyze the poison residues in more detail and search for additional sites near the lake to deepen understanding of early human technological sophistication.