World's oldest string of yarn shows Neanderthals were smarter than we thought

Archeologists say they have found the world's oldest string of yarn or cord, which our Neanderthal ancestors made by twisting together natural fibers. Researchers said the find is the earliest known evidence of textile and cord making and suggests that Stone Age Neanderthals were perhaps much smarter than we thought.

"The idea that Neanderthals were cognitively inferior to modern humans is becoming increasingly untenable," researchers wrote in a new study. The study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. The cord fragment, consisting of three bundles of fibers twisted together and wrapped around a thin stone tool, was discovered at the prehistoric cave site of Abri du Maras in the south of France.

The yarn dates from 41,000 to 52,000 years ago and researchers said the cord is made from fibers taken from the inner bark of a tree, likely a conifer. The authors believe that the cord was wrapped around the tool as a handle or was part of a net or bag containing the tool.

"It's impossible that nature made this twisted fiber," said study author Marie-Hélène Moncel, who is a director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) The research suggests that production of the cord would have required extensive knowledge of the growth and seasonality of the trees used.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/09/world/oldest-yarn-neanderthals-scn/index.html