Unraveling the History: The Origin of Human Clothing

March 11, 2024

From Fur to Fashion: The Evolution of Clothing in Humans

Have you ever wondered when our ancestors swapped fur for fabric, marking the birth of human fashion? This fascinating journey into the past reveals that the adoption of clothing was not a singular event but a patchwork of necessity and innovation. From scrutinizing lice DNA to examining prehistoric sewing tools and animal bones, scientists piece together the scattered evidence of early humans' first forays into clothing. With findings pointing to the use of garments as far back as 300,000 years ago, we uncover the pivotal moments that clothed humanity against the elements and the changing world.

Read the full story here: When did humans start wearing clothes?

Highlights

• Early humans lost their fur, necessitating clothing for protection from the elements.
• Evidence of clothing use is gleaned from traces like skinning marks on bones and sewing tools, since organic materials decompose rapidly.
• DNA studies of lice suggest a timeline for the divergence of clothing-wearing habits in humans, indicating regular clothing use around 170,000 years ago.
• Archaeological evidence, such as skinning marks on bear bones, suggests that clothing may have been used even earlier, around 300,000 years ago, by ancestors like Homo heidelbergensis.
• The episodic nature of clothing use in human history, influenced by climatic changes and cultural practices, complicates our understanding of its origins.

Tracing the origins of human clothing remains challenging due to the perishable nature of textiles and organic materials. However, interdisciplinary research involving archaeology, genetics, and biology offers insight into this aspect of human evolution. Various indicators, such as bone modifications and ancient tools, hint at the use of animal skins for protection against cold, dating back to nearly 300,000 years ago.

The study of lice DNA provides a unique perspective on the timeline of clothing use. Scientists have deduced that the separation of head lice from clothing lice occurred approximately 170,000 years ago, suggesting the regular use of clothes from then onwards. Nonetheless, evidence of hominins wearing clothing, possibly for warmth, predates this, indicating an earlier, albeit intermittent, adoption of garments.

The article discusses how shifts in climate and human migration influenced the sporadic use and abandonment of clothing throughout prehistory. Tools associated with garment making disappear and reappear in the archaeological record, reflecting changing needs and cultural practices. This episodic pattern underscores the complexity of mapping the evolution of clothing and its significance in human history.

Read the full article here.

Essential Insights

• David Reed: A biologist at the University of Florida, specialized in studying the evolution of lice to understand the history of human clothing.
• Ivo Verheijen: A doctoral candidate at the University of Tübingen in Germany who researched cut marks on bear bones to infer early human use of animal skins for clothing.
• Ian Gilligan: An honorary associate in the School of Humanities at The University of Sydney, contributing insights into the episodic nature of clothing use among early humans.
• Homo heidelbergensis: An extinct species of early humans that possibly used bear skins for clothing about 300,000 years ago.
• Schöningen: A Paleolithic site in Germany where evidence suggests hominins used bear skins as clothing.