Archaeological evidence of woven baskets, ropes, and other products can be difficult to find, especially in tropical regions of the world, where warm, moist air breaks down green matter more readily than stone or bone fragments. I have. But some microscopic plant debris can withstand the ravages of time, as the unusual fragments attached to three stone tools recently studied in the Philippines show. These small vestiges of ancient plant technology The study was published in an open access journal on June 30 pro swanprovides indirect evidence of the earliest known tools made to handle the region’s harsh vegetation..
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A team of researchers found these tools at: Tabon Cave, located in the province of Palawan in the western part of the Philippines. Scientists’ radiocarbon dating found these tools to be 39,000 years old, slowing the history of textile technology in Southeast Asia. Previously, the earliest evidence of plant products from the region was roughly: 8,000-year-old mat fragments found in southern China.
Compared to tool kits found from prehistoric groups in Africa and Europe, Southeast Asian stone tools were less standardized and used a wide variety of sizes and shapes. According to study co-author Harmin Schouffera, a prehistoric and ethnoarchaeologist at the University of the Philippines Diliman, some scientists believe the difference is due to: Adaptation to the environment caused the “Bamboo Age”. Similar to the Stone Age and Bronze Age, which relied heavily on the material of the same name, it is probable that tools of this period were primarily made of the abundant bamboo. This organic material is poorly preserved, so scientists must look for microscopic traces for evidence of this important chapter in human history.
“Mastering fiber technology was a very important step in the development of mankind,” says Shawflare. pop science. “It meant that people had the possibility and ability to make objects out of multiple parts bound together by fibers. They built complex houses and structures, made cages and traps, They could make bows, sail boats, and even build boats for hunting.”
Stone tools made by Shahlea and her team Found in Tabon Cave Shows microscopic evidence of abrasion associated with textile technology. They looked at plant processing techniques that are still in use today. Indigenous communities in the area, Tagvanua, Palawan, Taoto Bat, Morbog, Batak, Agutainen and Cuyonon. It peels the skin off of rugged plants such as palms and bamboo, turning their stems into supple fibers to weave and tie.
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Building on these contemporary practices, the team conducted multiple surveys and fieldwork in the rainforest near the caves to find different botanical and fiber technology signatures. I was able to build the database from there. We then used light, digital, and scanning electron microscopy on the stone tools from Tabon Cave and found consistent damage patterns between the stone tools and those currently in use.
Further research will reveal how the ancient inhabitants of Tabon Cave made it. baskettraps, house ropes, bow for hunting, more. The findings also raise the question of whether plant-based technologies have survived uninterruptedly for hundreds of generations. “The technology used today to process plant fibers in this region was already known 39,000 years ago. [the] Are there very long-lasting traditions? asks Shafraa. “Or was this technology discovered and abandoned at some point?”
