37 – Bone tool technology and production of leather clothing
120,000 to 90,000 years ago
Dating from 120,000 to 90,000 years ago, bone tools were found in Morocco in association with carnivore remains that showed signs of skinning for furs and pelts. The invention of clothing, and the development of the tools needed to create it, are milestones in the story of humanity. Not only are they indicative of strides in cultural and cognitive evolution, archaeologists also believe they were essential in enabling early humans to expand their niche from Pleistocene Africa into new environments with new ecological challenges. However, as furs and other organic materials used to make clothing are unlikely to be preserved in the archaeological record, the origin of clothing is still poorly understood.
Image credit Emily Hallett/Curtis Marean.
Epoch
Environmental and Climate Changes
-
Earth’s climate remains relatively stable with alternating glacial and interglacial periods
-
Glacial/interglacial cycles changed 100,000 to 41,000 years
Changing Species
-
Homo erectus 1.8 Ma to 112,000 Ya
-
Homo sapiens 300,000 Ya to Present
-
Homo neanderthalensis 200,000 to 28,000 Ya
-
Denisovans 130,000 to 75,000 Ya
-
Homo floresiensis 100,000 to 50,000 Ya
