BREWSTER COUNTY, Texas — An archaeological site in the Big Bend region of West Texas unveiled a trove of ancient weapons, making it “potentially the oldest example of an intact full weapon system in North America,” according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. 

The monumental findings from a cave in the region reveal tools from an Indigenous hunter from thousands of years ago — and insight about how people lived during that era.

“We get these incredible snapshots of life, vignettes of how they lived, what the environment was and how they responded to it,” said Bryon Schroeder, director of the Center for Big Bend Studies (CBBS).

The revelations come from a collaborative effort with the Odyssey Archaeological Research Fund at the University of Kansas and the CBBS team.

Indigenous people would constantly go through their tools and decide which ones to keep, fix or discard, according to Schroeder. 

The caves were special places for Indigenous American cultures, said CBBS assistant professor Devin Pettigrew, where hunted prey was often believed to be reincarnated. 

Among the items found were a hunting projectile dart system, a straight-flying boomerang, a spear-thrower and a folded pronghorn hide — which were approximately 6,000 years old. 

“We just sat there and stared at it [the hide] in wonder,” said Schroeder. “That’s a moment in time. It’s akin to holding dish gloves that somebody put over the sink after doing the dishes. Somebody folded that hide up and sat that right on top of this rock.”

CORRECTION (April 1, 2025): An earlier version of this story said the weapons were found in Big Bend National Park. They were found in the Big Bend region of Texas, not the park, and the story has been corrected to reflect this.