Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Life
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Science
  • Religion
  • History
  • Feature
  • Expat Corner

Archaeologists in Morocco discover oldest bone tools for clothesmaking

by French Press Agency - AFP

Rabat Sep 24, 2021 - 11:56 am GMT+3
Archeologists walk to enter the Contrebandiers (Smugglers) Cave less than 20 kilometers from the Moroccan capital Rabat, Sept. 18, 2021. (AFP Photo)
Archeologists walk to enter the Contrebandiers (Smugglers) Cave less than 20 kilometers from the Moroccan capital Rabat, Sept. 18, 2021. (AFP Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Sep 24, 2021 11:56 am
RECOMMENDED
Archaeologist and Egypt's former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass holds a press conference in the Saqqara necropolis, where a gold-laced mummy and four tombs including of an ancient king's "secret keeper" were discovered, south of Cairo on Jan. 26, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Egypt unearths 'secret keeper' tomb, golden mummy at Saqqara

old-kingdom

Clothesmaking tools fashioned from bone, which is thought to date back 120,000 years, were discovered by archaeologists in Morocco, one of the researchers said. The tools could be the oldest ever found.

"It's a major discovery because while older bone tools have been found elsewhere, it's the first time we have identified bone tools (this old) that were used to make clothing," Moroccan archaeologist Abdeljalil El Hajraoui said.

The international team discovered more than 60 tools in Contrebandiers (Smugglers) Cave, less than 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the North African country's capital.

They had been "intentionally shaped for specific tasks that included leather and fur working," the team wrote in a study published in the journal iScience.

The discovery could help answer questions on the origins of modern human behavior, said El Hajraoui, a researcher at the National Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (INSAP).

"Sewing is a behaviour that has lasted" since prehistory, he told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"Tools like those discovered in the cave were used for 30,000 years, which proves the emergence of collective memory."

The iScience paper predicted that "given the level of specialization of the bone tool material culture at Contrebandiers Cave, it is likely that earlier examples will be found."

The team also discovered living spaces dug into the ground or built in the cave, as well as perforated seashells apparently used as ornaments.

Archeologists walk to enter the Contrebandiers (Smugglers) Cave less than 20 kilometers from the Moroccan capital Rabat, Sept. 18, 2021. (AFP Photo)
Archeologists walk to enter the Contrebandiers (Smugglers) Cave less than 20 kilometers from the Moroccan capital Rabat, Sept. 18, 2021. (AFP Photo)

"This was a cultural evolution that still needs study," El Hajraoui said.

Morocco has been the location of a number of significant archaeological findings, including on Wednesday when the country's culture ministry announced that researchers in a cave near Essaouira, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Rabat, had discovered a collection of about 30 shaped marine snail shells dating back as much as 150,000 years.

In a statement, it said they were "the oldest ornaments ever discovered."

That followed an announcement in July when archaeologists revealed the discovery of North Africa's oldest Stone Age hand-axe manufacturing site, dating back 1.3 million years.

The find pushed back by hundreds of thousands of years the start date in North Africa of the Acheulian stone tool industry associated with a key human ancestor, Homo erectus, researchers on the team told journalists in Rabat.

In 2017, the discovery of five fossils at Jebel Irhoud in Morocco, estimated to be 300,000 years old, overturned evolutionary science when they were designated Homo sapiens.

RECOMMENDED
Archaeologist and Egypt's former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass holds a press conference in the Saqqara necropolis, where a gold-laced mummy and four tombs including of an ancient king's "secret keeper" were discovered, south of Cairo on Jan. 26, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Egypt unearths 'secret keeper' tomb, golden mummy at Saqqara

old-kingdom
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Sep 24, 2021 12:58 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    historical places historical artifacts morocco
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A view of the rubble of a building hit by the earthquake in Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş, Feb. 6, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Death toll rises to 3,381 after magnitude 7.7 quake rocks SE Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE
    The collapsed part of Gaziantep Castle, Feb. 6, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Gaziantep Castle collapses after magnitude 7.7 quake hit Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE

    Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep suspend flights after 7.7 earthquake

    EARTHQUAKE

    Deadly quake damages Türkiye's energy infrastructure, major port

    earthquake
    No Image
    Italy's Lake Garda's water levels drop to 15-year low amid drought
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021