Oldest clothing evidence found in Oregon: stitched hides dated about 12,400 years ago

Researchers report two small elk-hide fragments stitched with fiber cordage and dated to about 12,400 years, recovered from Cougar Mountain Cave and Paisley Caves; the items are part of a larger cache of perishable artifacts studied by teams from the University of Nevada and the University of Oregon. The collection also includes 14 eyed bone needles and a variety of fiber, wood, hide, and osseous tools that point to advanced stitch-and-sew technologies in the Late Pleistocene.

Researchers describe small stitched elk-hide fragments dated to roughly 12,400 years ago that may represent the oldest physical remains of sewn hide and a possible fragment of clothing or footwear. The material came from two Late Pleistocene perishable- artifact assemblages recovered in the 1950s from Cougar Mountain Cave and Paisley Caves in Oregon and later curated at the Favell Museum. A research team from the University of Nevada and the University of Oregon analyzed the collection and published their findings in Science Advances. The assemblage contains a wide mix of fiber, wood, hide, osseous, and lithic items spanning the Late Pleistocene into the Holocene. Key findings: - Two small elk-hide fragments stitched with fiber cordage are dated to about 12,400 years and are described as a possible fragment of clothing or footwear. - The two-cave collection includes 55 items made from 15 different plants and animals; Cougar Mountain Cave yielded 23 fiber, 12 wood, and 3 hide items. - Researchers recovered 14 eyed bone needles and other finely made osseous tools, which the authors highlight as evidence of sophisticated stitching technology. - The assemblage also contains projectile points, bone tools, trap remains, and rabbit bones, leading authors to note the likely use of rabbit, elk, and bison hides in the region. - Nearly all fiber and wooden items were sampled for radiocarbon dating to establish an absolute chronology for the collection. Summary: The find extends direct physical evidence for sewn-hide technology into the Late Pleistocene and supports the view that clothing could serve both practical and social functions. The researchers published radiocarbon-based dates and noted the presence of fine needles and adornment items alongside utilitarian tools. They also reported that under-researched museum collections may contain additional perishable artifacts that would further inform the archaeological record.