Perishable Fiber Artifacts and Paleoindians: New Implications

Abstract

Recent research demonstrates that perishable industries-notably including the manufacture of textiles, basketry, cordage, netting, and sandals-were a well-established, integral component of the Upper Paleolithic technological milieu in many parts of the Old World. Moreover, extant data suggest that these technologies played a vital and, hitherto, utterly unappreciated role in the ecological success of late Pleistocene populations, including the first Americans. This article explores the varied roles of early fiber technology in the New World and specifically examines the adaptive qualities, impact on social organization, and alteration to food procurement strategies implicit in this innovative and intensive series of interrelated industries. It is suggested that the manufacture of perishable fiber-derived artifacts was far more important in the successful colonization of this hemisphere than any of the more durable artifact classes, particularly stone.

Cordage, basketry and containers at the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary in southwest Europe. Evidence from Coves de Santa Maira (Valencian region, Spain)

“…Later in the Holocene, references to finds of tools, wooden structures and plant fibres preserved on coasts and in lakes in northern Europe become increasingly numerous (Fischer 1995;Wigforss 2014). These data show that people developed the technique of plaiting or braiding and twining fibres, which had various applications on different continents and in various situations (Adovasio et al 2014).…”

“…In the Americas, remains of cordage, basketry and textiles from Meadowcroft rockshelter, Paisley caves, Cueva del Guitarrero and Monte Verde etc. have been directly dated to between 12 and 10 ka bp (Adovasio et al 2014). In the Middle East, Linum usitatissimum (flax) microfibres were identified from Dzudzuana Georgia in cave levels dated to ca.…”

“Their Fingers Were too Fat to Weave”: Ancient Textiles and Academic Politics Today

“…Our ensuing research identified 79 impressions of plant-based cordage and cordage constructions present at three sites: Dolni Vestonice I, II, and Pavlov I (Adovasio et al, 2001a(Adovasio et al, , 2001bSoffer and Adovasio, 2004;Soffer et al, 1998Soffer et al, , 2002. They included as a variety of twined and plain-woven textiles made on non-heddle looms or weaving frames.…”

Stable isotope chemistry reveals plant-dominant diet among early foragers on the Andean Altiplano, 9.0–6.5 cal. ka

“…Despite general agreement of various lines of evidence, the evidence remains indirect. Preservation biases that favor projectile points and animal bone compared to plant materials could, to some extent, inflate the hunting signal [20][21][22]. The biases of previous researchers who have generally been males from a culture in which hunting is a distinctly masculine pursuit could furthermore inflate the hunting signal [23].…”