An international collaboration of scientists from the United Kingdom and Indonesia has unearthed the world’s oldest shark tooth blades on Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia. The findings appear in a peer‑reviewed article in Ancient ages, a scientific publication focused on prehistoric research. The team’s analysis places the artifacts within a broader timeline of human tool use and ritual practice in parts of Southeast Asia.
Researchers identified the teeth as originally belonging to tiger sharks. The blades show roots that were pierced and secured to narrow stems using plant fibers and mineral‑based, animal‑based, and plant-based adhesives. The combination of materials and craftsmanship suggests these objects were more than simple blades; they likely served ceremonial or martial purposes, while also being suitable for practical tasks such as meat processing or household chores. The construction demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of binding techniques and material properties that allowed for durable, functional tools with a ceremonial or symbolic role.
Both specimens were recovered from archaeological sites attributed to the Toalian culture, a forager society that inhabited southwestern Sulawesi. The timeline places these communities around 8,000 years ago, with an unknown endpoint in the more recent past. This context helps frame the artifacts within a broader pattern of early technology and social organization in the region, highlighting how specialized tools can reflect both daily life and rising ritual or conflict practices among early communities.
Shark tooth knives from Sulawesi contribute to a growing body of evidence that a distinct class of weapons existed in the Asia‑Pacific far earlier than once believed. Earlier studies in this field have generally dated such tools to periods younger than five thousand years. The Sulawesi blades therefore push back the expected chronology, inviting fresh questions about how these societies produced, used, and transmitted knowledge about weaponry and toolmaking across generations.
It is worth noting that some researchers have also discussed the broader origins of footwear, with early theories suggesting that basic forms of sandals or flip‑flop styles could represent some of the first human footwear. While this topic lies outside the core scope of these shark tooth artifacts, it underscores the wider interest in how ancient peoples developed everyday technologies and implements that connect to daily life, survival, and identity.