Stone Age tech: beyond flint tools, a world of fiber
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Archaeologists in Germany examined a 35,000-year-old ivory rod from the Hohle Fels cave and determined it was likely a tool used to create fiber for rope.
Nicholas Conard’s team at the University of Tübingen discovered the perforated baton had grooves designed to help twist plant fibers into cordage. This discovery highlighted how much of Stone Age technology is missing from the archaeological record, as materials like rope and twine decompose over time.
Researchers note that the oldest known example of human-made fiber is a three-ply cord created by Neanderthals around 50,000 years ago in France. Evidence suggests that humans used fiber to haft stone tools, attaching them to handles, as early as 250,000 years ago, greatly expanding their functionality.
This technology wasn’t limited to toolmaking; people also used cordage to transport materials, build snares for hunting, and even climb for food, as illustrated by rock art depicting rope ladders used to reach beehives. Producing cordage was a labor-intensive process that likely shaped the seasonal routines of early hunter-gatherers. The Wola people of New Guinea currently spend upwards of 80 hours creating string for a single bag, demonstrating the time commitment involved.
Similarly, Neanderthals needed weeks to prepare pine bark for fiber production, restricting their movement until enough cordage was made. Beyond fiber, discoveries at sites like Schöningen in Germany reveal well-preserved wooden spears from 300,000 years ago, showing that Stone Age people skillfully combined stone, wood, and plant materials.
