The Oldest Fibers

We know that the plants and materials to make fibers have been around for a long time, we know that the knowledge to do so has been around for quiet a while as well. However, the question is if we were going to go back to the beginning how long ago would that be?

Quiet a lot is known about felt. Felt comes from wool, that is worked to create a matted fabric. The remnants of felted fibers have been found and dated as far back as 2000 BC and has been used for everything from shelter, to clothing to padding in shoes. In fact the Europeans believed that felt was created by pilgrims who stuffed wool into their shoes and thus created felt as they walked from place to place.

In 1995, an article was published on the imprints of wove fibers found in clay in Europe. These pieces date back to 27,000 years ago; however, it is uncertain as to whether the impressions found were made by cloth or by a flexible basket. Still the evidence does point towards sophisticated weaving and twisting methods that were known during that time. "the earliest remains of human- made cord are 19,000-year-old twisted plant fibers found in Israel (SN: 10/8/94, p.235). Charred cord remains found at France's Lascaux Cave date to 17,000 years ago. Evidence of weaving and basketry in Asia and the Americas dates to no earlier than about 13,000 years ago." (end of page 1)

Much more recently then that--earlier this year in fact--there was an article published on Flax fibers that were found in the Eurasian country of Georgia, which date back to 30,000 years or even further. Around that time Flax would've grown wild and could have been a source of edible grains as well as fibers that would've probably been braided together macrame style, (middle of the page or so). At this point in time the fibers would not have been used for clothing but probably for ceremonial purposes or as a binding tool.

On the note of Hemp, as I've discussed that previously. According to Wikipedia the oldest known imprints of hemp fibers were found on pottery shards in China and Taiwan. They date back to over 7,000 years ago. Still the hemp plant is one of the oldest cultivated fiber plants known, that has a history of textile uses and fabrics which date back as far as 8,000 BC. (Hemp Information from Hemp Sisters, Inc.)

Despite the dates that change somewhat depending on where you find the information they do provide an idea of what evidence that we have. Though of course we are limited by what we know and what we can find with the knowledge that we have.

My Sources:
Archaeologists Discover Oldest-known Fiber Material Used By Man, Science Daily, September 11th, 2009
Cannabis Hemp: Is The Oldest Plant Known to Man future-proof to?, Canna Zine News by Ian Malley
Felt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Felted Fabric, Felted Wool Fabric, Felted Fabric Supplier, Fabrics Manufacturers
Herb Plants, Flax
Hemp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hemp Information from Hemp Sisters, Inc, hemp-sisters.com
Stone Age Fabric Leaves Swatch Marks, Science News, May 6th, 1995
These Vintage Threads are 30,000 Years Old, NPR, September 10th, 2009