Page 23 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

Pleistocene Knotting 11

than to take unnecessary risks with such a powerful quarry, and chose the
safest option of harvesting the fattened bears. A cave bear was significantly
larger than the modern bear, and no doubt a very powerful animal, so we
would need to assume that the cordage used in these snares was of a breaking
strength of perhaps several tons; though, of course, several slightly weaker
cords might have been used.
The bones of many hundreds of small (10-20 cm long) fish were found at
19 000 year-old Ohalo II in Israel [24], in several heaps suggesting that they
might have been confined in containers of some kind, perhaps fibre bags. No
remains of fishing tools were found at the site, and it seems most likely that
the small fish were caught in some sort of net or sieve. Some tiny fragments
of twisted vegetable fibres were found at the site, and were thought to have
come from either the nets or the containers.
The origin of bows and arrows is uncertain; tanged flints of a size and
shape resembling arrow heads, have been found in Angola to date from about
30 000 years ago [15, p. 207]. Bows would require well-made cordage and
secure knots.
Clothing would offer another potential application of knotting technol-
ogy, but evidence concerning garments is notoriously hard to find. Prior to
the Upper Palaeolithic, which begins 33 000-35 000 years ago, such evidence
is almost entirely absent; even for the last phase of the Pleistocene, it remains
rare, and almost entirely indirect. This shows once again how the archaeolog-
ical record must be distorted, because the final period of the Palaeolithic is
certainly marked by relatively great technological and artistic sophistication.
Three burials at Sungir', Russia, some 20 000-25 000 years ago, provide an
inkling of the sophistication of these societies, as well as of apparel. Two ju-
veniles and an adult were buried with rich grave goods. Among them, 13 113
ivory beads and well over 250 perforated fox teeth were apparently sewn to
their apparel [31]. A few of the human figurines from Siberia bear a pattern
that resembles quilt-like clothing, including a hood that conceals all but the
person's face [1]. Some bone points, thought to be used in sewing skin clothing
about 100 000 years ago, were found in China [11] and elsewhere; and at least
26 000 years ago in Tasmania [12].
Artefacts with perforated holes, whether for decorative or utilitarian use,
were almost invariably used with cordage and knots. As we have seen, such
items made of relatively durable materials occur back as far as 300 000 years
ago, and we have no idea of how long before that perishable beads may have
been perforated. More recent perforated objects, mostly animal teeth but still
older than 35 000 years ago, come from Germany, Bulgaria, France and Russia.
Between 33 000-35 000 years ago, beads become much more common, with
large numbers found in France and Russia, and smaller numbers in numerous
countries, from Japan to South Africa [7]. The earliest evidence of beads in