Archaeological excavations in the Direkli Cave in Kahramanmaraş, southeastern Türkiye, have revealed bone sewing needles and pins estimated to be 13,000 years old.
This significant find highlights the historical importance of the region, located at a key transition point from the Eastern Mediterranean to central Anatolia and from the Caucasus to the Eastern Mediterranean.
Associate professor Cevdet Merih Erek from Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University's Department of Archaeology shared that Direkli Cave in the Döngel district, Onikişubat, is one of the prominent settlements rich in cultural heritage in Kahramanmaraş.
The excavations, initiated about 18 years ago, have provided crucial insights into the region's past. The latest findings from this year date back to approximately 11,500 B.C.
Among the artifacts discovered are pierced bone needles similar to modern sewing needles and pins, essential tools for textiles and clothing. Erek emphasized that these findings show the deep historical roots of the region's current textile and clothing industry.
“The people of that era created tools and industrial items based on their culture and materials available to them, we have significant evidence of the consumption of wild sheep and goats in the cave, suggesting that fibers or similar materials essential for textiles were derived from them,” Erek said.
He added that cultural habits were transmitted through regional interactions. "Today, Kahramanmaraş stands out significantly in textiles, with numerous companies exporting globally. Although there might not have been exports in ancient times, the cultural habits of this region likely spread to both the Eastern Mediterranean and central Anatolia through regional interactions."
Erek also highlighted that the seasonal habitation of people in the cave and the presence of animal remains suggest that the skins and fur of mature animals were likely used in clothing and textiles. The continuous cultural tradition of textiles and clothing in Kahramanmaraş from past to present is evident through these findings, he stressed.
