Oldest known piece of string was made by Neanderthals 50,000 years ago #IceAgeSkills https://www.newscientist.com/article/2240117-oldest-ever-piece-of-string-was-made-by-neanderthals-50000-years-ago/ Image: M-H Moncel

“A piece of 50,000-year-old string found in a cave in France is the oldest ever discovered. It suggests that Neanderthals knew how to twist fibres together to make cords – and, if so, they might have been able to craft ropes, clothes, bags and nets.”

“It was made by twisting a bundle of fibres in an anticlockwise direction, known as an S-twist. Three bundles were twisted together in a clockwise direction – a Z-twist – to make a 3-ply cord.” #NeanderthalTech

“The string appears to be made of bast fibres from the bark of conifer trees” #Neanderthals

Previously the oldest known string came from 19,000 years ago at the Ohalo II site near the Sea of Galilee and is associated with modern humans. The newly found string in France was made by Neanderthals, as there were no modern humans in this part of Europe at this time.