Ancient Oregon Cave Yields World’s Oldest Sewn Artifacts
Researchers have just unearthed what might be the oldest sewn hide artifacts ever found, tucked away in Cougar Mountain Cave in Central Oregon. These pieces have been preserved for over 12,000 years, giving us an unusually direct peek into late Ice Age clothing and craftsmanship.
The collection includes bone sewing needles, braided cords from plant fibers, and sharpened projectile points. But the real jaw-droppers? Two pieces of animal skin, stitched together with cord—older than anything similar found anywhere else.
It’s wild to think about: these sewn hides push back the timeline for this kind of technology and show just how skilled ancient Indigenous peoples were.
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The Significance of the Discovery
Finding these ancient sewn hides feels like a huge win for archaeology and textile history. Dry cave conditions protected the artifacts from rot and loss over thousands of years.
That means researchers finally get to study materials like plant fibers, wood, and hide—stuff that usually disappears long before we ever get a chance to see it. Lead author Richie Rosencrance said the artifacts give us a rare, almost tangible sense of what those ancient things were really like.
What Was Found?
The 55-item collection includes:
- Bone sewing needles: The go-to tools for stitching hides and fabrics.
- Braided cords: Made from plant fibers, probably used for stitching or tying things together.
- Sharpened projectile points: Evidence of hunting and tool-making skills.
- Sewn hides: Two animal skin pieces stitched with cord—maybe clothing, moccasins, a bag, or even a portable shelter.
Technological Continuity and Cultural Heritage
This discovery highlights the impressive technology of early humans. It also shows the deep roots Indigenous people in Oregon have to their land.
Some techniques found in these artifacts are still used today by Klamath and Paiute tribe members. That’s nearly 12,000 years of knowledge passed down—pretty incredible, honestly.
Rosencrance pointed out that these finds show almost 12,000 years of shared technological knowledge. That kind of tradition and resourcefulness? It’s a real testament to the ingenuity and resilience of these ancient communities.
It also helps us understand how people adapted and made the most of what they had back then.
The Preservation of Organic Materials
What’s really remarkable is how well these organic materials survived. Usually, things made from plants, wood, and hide just vanish over time, so it’s tough to get the full picture of ancient tech.
But the dry cave conditions stopped the usual decay, letting researchers really dig into the details.
The Role of the Caves
The artifacts came from three cave sites in Central Oregon: Cougar Mountain Cave, the Paisley Caves, and the Connley Caves. People used these caves as temporary shelters for generations, which led to a big stash of artifacts.
The dry air in the caves made all the difference, preserving items from the Younger Dryas period—so, about 11,700 to 12,900 years ago.
Historical Context and Implications
These artifacts date to a chilly time near the end of the last Ice Age, called the Younger Dryas. That period saw wild climate swings, and these finds show how ancient humans managed to adapt and get by.
The sewn hides and other tools really highlight their resourcefulness and ability to roll with the punches.
Implications for Archaeology
The researchers’ analysis, published in *Science Advances*, notes that items like these are extremely rare in Pleistocene sites. That rarity makes it tough to build detailed models about early population movements and cultural responses to climate shifts.
This discovery plugs a big gap in what we know about early human history and technological progress.
The Journey of the Artifacts
Someone who wasn’t a professional archaeologist found the sewn hide artifacts in Cougar Mountain Cave back in the 1950s. They changed hands over the years and eventually ended up at the Favell Museum in Klamath Falls.
That’s where researchers started studying them and used radiocarbon dating to figure out their age.
Research Collaboration
Experts from the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of Oregon, and Eastern Oregon University teamed up for this research. Their combined knowledge in archaeology, anthropology, and textile history made for a thorough analysis of the artifacts.
Conclusion
The discovery of the oldest known sewn hides in Central Oregon is a pretty big deal for both archaeology and textile history. These artifacts crack open a window into the skills and traditions of ancient Indigenous peoples.
Thanks to the dry caves, these items survived for thousands of years. They let us peek at early clothing and craftsmanship in a way that’s honestly pretty rare.
If you want the full deep dive, check out the original article on the OPB website.