Archaeologists have discovered numerous skull fossils of prehistoric humans and ancient animals. However, what is strange is that among these skulls, some exhibit perfectly round holes, as if they were shot through.
Nearly a century ago, a Swiss miner searching for metal ore in limestone caves in Kabwe, Zambia, found a prehistoric skull dated between 125,000 and 300,000 years old. It was the first fossil discovered in Africa that displayed characteristics of Homo sapiens.
But there was an even greater surprise. This prehistoric skull has a small round hole on the side, which forensic scientists believe could only have been made by a high-velocity object, such as a bullet.
This mystery became even more complex when an ancient bison skull was discovered with identical characteristics. These findings have led to numerous speculations that contradict our existing understanding.
This prehistoric skull has a small round hole on the side.
Kabwe Skull
This skull was found in Kabwe (also known as Broken Hill), and is one of the most important and famous human fossils in Africa. It was discovered in 1921 and has long been a significant topic of research and discussion among paleontologists.
According to the Smithsonian Institution, it was initially believed that the Kabwe prehistoric skull was the first example of a new species of hominid called Homo rhodesiensis, estimated to be around 300,000 years old. It has a large skull with a cranial capacity approximately equivalent to that of modern humans, about 1,300 cubic centimeters.
A range of methods, including CT scans and 3D modeling, have been used to study the Kabwe skull, revealing data about its anatomy and evolutionary process. It is considered an important fossil for studying the early evolution of humans in Africa.
Later, it was classified as Homo heidelbergensis, although more recent studies have indicated that this skull exhibits some features resembling Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, and modern Homo sapiens. However, many other scientists suggest that the individual who owned this skull may have been a product of interbreeding among different ancient hominid species.
It appears to have been shot through by a bullet.
However, the combination of its unique characteristics is not the only mystery of the Kabwe skull. It was also discovered to have a perfectly round small hole on the left side of the skull, as well as a broken section on the opposite side.
This suggests that it seems to have been shot through by a bullet, with the bullet entering from the left and penetrating the skull with such force that it completely shattered the right side.
Strangely, the presence of these very unusual characteristics is not mentioned in the descriptions of the Kabwe skull on the Smithsonian Institution’s website or the Natural History Museum in London, although their photographs clearly depict the hole in the skull.
What could have caused the hole in the Kabwe skull?
While it is often assumed that the hole could have been caused by an arrow or high-speed spear, investigations have shown this to be impossible.
According to The Shields Gazette: “When a skull is struck by a relatively low-velocity projectile – such as an arrow or spearhead – it will produce cracks or radial fractures; that is, small hairline fractures radiating from the point of impact.” However, this skull does not show any radial fractures, leading many to conclude that the object that caused this hole must have been traveling at a much higher velocity than an arrow or spear.
In the book Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients by David Hatcher Childress, a German forensic expert reached an even more intriguing conclusion: “This skull wound could not have been caused by anything other than a bullet.”
This skull is at least several thousand years old.
Researcher Rene Noorbergen, who examined the mystery in Secrets Of The Lost Races, agrees with this view, stating: “This characteristic is also seen in victims with head injuries caused by being shot with a modern high-powered rifle.”
If this speculation is correct, it would mean that the Kabwe skull may have been shot recently by modern humans, or alternatively, that this skull could have been shot by a civilization possessing advanced technology from ancient times.
However, the first hypothesis seems implausible, as the skull was found beneath sediment layers at a depth of 18.2 meters below the surface, confirming that it is at least several thousand years old.
It was not located close enough to the surface to have been shot accidentally or intentionally in recent decades.
The skull belonged to an aurochs, a wise livestock species that went extinct between 2 million to 4,000 years ago. Like the Kabwe skull, the hole in the aurochs skull also lacks radial fractures typically caused by spears or arrows.
This prehistoric skull is currently exhibited at the Paleontological Museum in Moscow, and it is certain that it could not have been shot in more modern times, as the calcification around the bullet hole indicates that this aurochs survived the injury for some time afterward.
This prehistoric skull is currently displayed at the Paleontological Museum in Moscow.
What is the real reason for these bullet holes?
Many theories and speculations have emerged, such as the idea proposed by The Shields Gazette that someone from the future brought a gun, time-traveled back, and participated in some sort of time-hunting expedition, to more reasonable suggestions that the round holes were caused by debris from a small meteorite or something similar.
Conspiracy theorists suggest that ancient peoples may have developed technology at a very high level. But could two separate societies, thousands of years apart and with vast cultural gaps, both have independently invented weapons capable of firing small cylindrical bullets at high speeds?
Some experts and scientists suggest that the holes may have been caused by pathological damage, in other words, formed due to a medical condition or skull infection. This would be a reasonable explanation considering that many diseases or viruses from that era have disappeared today. Over thousands of years, many organisms have evolved to become immune to these ancient viruses.
However, no theory is supported by sufficient evidence or logic. Unless more skulls or prehistoric fossils are discovered with similar injuries, we may never grasp the true answer to the mystery of the Kabwe skull.
