A Nature Journal Article Validates Rick Doble's Hypothesis About Paleo Woven-Fiber Technology
Creators: name: Doble, Rick
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: 210102 Archaeological Science
subject: FOS: History and archaeology
subject: 210199 Archaeology not elsewhere classified
subject: 210105 Archaeology of Europe, the Mediterranean and the Levant
subject: 210108 Historical Archaeology (incl. Industrial Archaeology)
subject: 219999 History and Archaeology not elsewhere classified
subject: 220206 History and Philosophy of Science (incl. Non-historical Philosophy of Science)
subject: FOS: Philosophy, ethics and religion
subject: 220209 History of Ideas
subject: 220299 History and Philosophy of Specific Fields not elsewhere classified
subject: History
subject: Evolutionary Biology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 60399 Evolutionary Biology not elsewhere classified

description: A recent article in the highly respected scientific journal, <i>Nature</i>, states that the authors have found direct evidence of Neanderthal woven-fiber technology in the form of cordage attached to a stone tool. This is a game-changer for many reasons. It is the oldest direct find so far of a woven-fiber fragment (including basketry and textiles), the fragment was from the Middle Paleolithic era, the fragment indicates that the technology was quite sophisticated, and the hominins who made this were not Homo sapiens but Neanderthals. Furthermore, this find along with other recent finds (detailed in the appendix of this article), begins to fill in the 'blank' area of Paleolithic woven-fiber tools and technology, because up until recently there was almost no information about fiber items since they decayed and left few traces. This find along with the other significant finds, taken together, strongly suggests that there was a well-developed woven-fiber technology during the Middle and Upper Paleolithic eras and that it had been evolving for a long period of time -- but just how long is the most interesting and critical question. If it happened over a relatively short period of time such as 100 ka, then Homo sapiens' cognition and memory were probably already developed when "woven-fiber technology" first began. However, if it happened over 2 million years (2000 ka), then "woven-fiber technology" may have had a major influence on the survival, evolution, and cognitive development of hominins long before Homo sapiens appeared on the scene. It is my contention that the earliest woven-fiber technology, basket weaving technology, may have begun as long as 2 million years ago with early hominins such as Homo habilis. I believe that basket weaving technology eventually led to the manufacture of cordage and then textiles, so I have called all three of these together "woven-fiber technology." If a rudimentary basket weaving technology did begin 2 million years ago, this is a paradigm shift. The early creation of baskets would mean that these hominins could gather and carry more food and materials, for example, which in turn would have affected their survival and evolution; also the craft of making baskets would have affected their cognitive development.