Researchers believe that ancient hunters known as the Clovis people, who lived in the Americas 13,000 years ago, may have used pikes to kill mammoths and other large animals.
Instead of throwing spears, they might have planted these pikes in the ground, waiting for the animals to charge onto the sharp points.
This method would have been much more effective than throwing spears because the pikes could deliver a greater force.
This theory is based on historical accounts of hunting techniques and experiments using replicas of Clovis weapons.
