Early Paleoindian use of canids, felids, and hares for bone needle production at the La Prele site, Wyoming, USA.

ABSTRACT: We report the first identifications of species and element used to produce Paleolithic bone needles. Archaeologists have used the tailored, fur-fringed garments of high latitude foragers as modern analogs for the clothes of Paleolithic foragers, arguing that the appearance of bone needles and fur bearer remains in archaeological sites c. 40,000 BP is indirect evidence for the advent of tailored garments at this time. These garments partially enabled modern human dispersal to northern latitudes and eventually enabled colonization of the Americas ca. 14,500 BP. Despite the importance of bone needles to explaining global modern human dispersal, archaeologists have never identified the materials used to produce them, thus limiting understanding of this important cultural innovation. We use Zoo

SUBMITTER: Pelton SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11602046 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature