Oregon Cave Reveals 12,000-Year-Old Textiles

- The artifacts were originally excavated in 1958 from Cougar Mountain Cave by an amateur archaeologist named John Cowles, and the collection was later transferred to the Favell Museum in Klamath Falls, Oregon. - A research team led by Richard Rosencrance, a doctoral researcher at the University of Nevada, Reno, recently re-examined the items, using modern radiocarbon dating to determine their age. - The sewn item is a piece of elk hide stitched with cordage made from a mix of plant fiber and animal hair. The plant fibers used for various cords found in the caves include sagebrush, dogbane, juniper, and bitterbrush. - While the oldest known textile fibers, found in the country of Georgia, date back 34,000 years, the Oregon discovery is considered the world's oldest example of a sewn garment. For comparison, the oldest woven garment, the Tarkhan Dress, was found in Egypt and is approximately 5,000 years old. - The sewing materials date to the Younger Dryas, a period of abrupt cooling that occurred between 11,700 and 12,900 years ago, suggesting the inhabitants needed well-fitted clothing to survive the harsh conditions. - Alongside the sewn hide, researchers found other tools and textiles, including 14 eyed bone needles made from bison and mountain sheep, fragments of basketry, and cords of various thicknesses. - The discovery also included 79 stone spear points and animal bones from bison, elk, and rabbits, painting a picture of daily life and hunting activities at the site. - The dry, arid conditions of the Oregon caves were crucial for preserving these perishable organic materials for thousands of years, offering a rare glimpse into Ice Age technology.