Emily Chan
However, not everyone agrees that the stone objects were used as sewing needles. If they are sewing needles, their discovery significantly alters the timeline of needle history. Before the latest finds, the earliest recorded stone needles date back 2,700 years ago.
Bone needles are much older. Previously, 50,000-year-old specimens were unearthed in Denisova Cave in Russia. Needles were very important for human development. They allowed ancient people to produce clothing and shelter that helped them withstand colder climates.
Experts who were not part of the new study don’t think that the stone objects were needles. Some claimed that the needles were “too blunt” for sewing. Instead, they may have been “personal ornaments.”
Others speculated that the needles could have been used to weave fishing nets, especially since they were uncovered near a lake. According to Chen, the needles show signs of wear and tear, so they were used for practical purposes.
The study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
