Due to its particular evolution, Homo sapiensunlike other hominid species, has lost almost all of its body hair. Consequently, for human beings, since Prehistory, it has been essential cover yourself to protect yourself from Freddofrom rain and sun. It is not known when exactly the first garments were made, but the oldest archaeological finds associated with linen clothing that have been found date back to around 34,000 years ago (Upper Paleolithic) and were found in Dzudzuana caveGeorgia. A clue to backdating the invention of clothing to at least 100,000 years ago however, it could come from the discovery of very ancient ones lice.
When did humans start dressing?
When man began to produce his own clothes is still a question debate between archaeologists and anthropologists. It was probably aneed born following theexit from the African continent (occurred 1.5 million years ago with Homo erectus) and migration towards colder territories to the northsuch as Europe and Asia.
Although it is presumable that the first clothes were produced starting from this period, the archaeological traces in our possession they are much more recent. This is due to the very nature of materials with which the first garments were made. Probably being organic materials (fur, vegetable fibers) is a lot difficult that are preserved over the millennia. The oldest traces of man-woven fibers date back to late Paleolithic (40,000-12,000 years ago) and were found in Dzudzuana caveGeorgia. Radiocarbon dated to 34,000 years agohad been made of wild flax.
Looking further back in time, it is possible intuit how humanity had begun to cover itself even before: in Denisova Cavein Siberia, a Augdatable to 50,000 years agobut it is possible to go even further back. This is possible thanks to indirect contribution of an unusual and unexpected discipline: thearchaeoentomology. It is a science that deals with the study of traces left by arthropods (insects, arachnids, etc.) inside the archaeological contexts. In fact, it is not unusual that in particular environmental circumstances the remains of these small animals are found they conserve and are found by archaeologists. The presence of traces of Pediculus humanusThe human lousewithin one cave inhabited 120,000 years ago in Moroccomakes us understand that clothes were probably already being produced in that period.
Hypothesizing this was possible through the study ofgenetic evolution Of Pediculus humanus. As long as our ancestors were completely covered with hairthat is, until the time when it prospered on the earth Homo habilis, about 2 million years agoman was colonized by aonly species of louse. With the progressive loss of body hair, this species limited itself to colonizing only i hairconsequently, the evolutionary divergence between the two currently existing species of louse, Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse) e Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse), must necessarily have occurred at a time when the human being had already begun to cover himself, otherwise the second species, which evolved from the first, she couldn’t have survived. Evolutionary divergence probably occurred around 100,000 years agoimplying that the introduction of clothing can be dated to this period.
How did they dress in prehistory?
In addition to the use of vegetable fibresas evidenced by the discovery in the Dzudzuana cave in Georgia, human beings in ancient times probably also used to cover themselves animal skins properly processed. Furthermore, in some cultures of tropical belts of the planet (from Polynesia to South America, but also in Indonesia and equatorial Africa), until a few centuries ago, the tapa (the term is Polynesian), i.e. garments made from the processing of bark of certain trees.
To date, the oldest full dress in our possession is theTarkhan suitfrom the name of the Egyptian necropolis where it was found. It’s sort of Shirt in linen, radiocarbon dated between 3482 and 3102 BC The clothing found with the remains is also surprising due to its level of conservation Ötzithe Similaun man, and dated to the copper age, more than 5000 years ago. It consisted of one overcoat in sheepskin, one cape in vegetable fibres, dei leggings in goat fur and a thong in sheepskin. There shoe oldest intact known to date was found instead in Areni cavein Armenia, and was made of leather around 5,500 years ago.
