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https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl General >> Project Goliath - The History of The Sling >> Esparto grass sling found in historical vulture's nest https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1759653633 Message started by Thearos on Oct 5^th, 2025 at 4:40am

Title: Esparto grass sling found in historical vulture's nest
Post by Thearos on Oct 5^th, 2025 at 4:40am

A bit arcane, but here goes: nests of bearded vultures in Southern Spain (where the species is now extinct) were analysed, because they often include manmade artifacts from past times, well preserved (eg. early modern or even medieval). Among those, note a fragment from a recognizable split-pouch sling of esparto grass (fig. 1, image A). I hope this link works:

https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.70191

Title: Re: Esparto grass sling found in historical vulture's nest
Post by IronGoober on Oct 5^th, 2025 at 12:19pm

Someone also posted this on Reddit. Very cool. It's interesting how the construction hasn't changed in 600 years.

Title: Re: Esparto grass sling found in historical vulture's nest
Post by erricrice on Oct 5^th, 2025 at 4:53pm

Wow yeah very cool! I'm pretty sure that's even the belly/taper on the remaining part of the cord there, just as you'd see it now.