Ever wondered when humans first started wearing clothes? Unlike stone tools or pottery, clothes don’t leave a clear trail in the fossil record.
But scientists are piecing together the puzzle using lice, bones, and clever detective work.
Losing Fur, Gaining Clothes
Our ape-like ancestors lived in trees and had fur for warmth. But as they walked upright and ventured out on the savanna, they lost most of their fur. This would have left them vulnerable to the elements, making clothes a necessity.
Lice: Tiny Time Travelers
Scientists track the evolution of lice, tiny insects that live on mammals. Head lice and clothing lice are like distant cousins, suggesting they once shared a common ancestor. By studying their DNA, researchers estimate these lice diverged around 170,000 years ago. This hints at the time humans might have begun wearing clothes regularly.
Earlier Clues: Bear Skin Chic
There’s evidence of even earlier clothing use. Cut marks on bear bones found in Germany suggest hominins, our early relatives, may have worn bear skins for warmth around 300,000 years ago. These skins may have helped them survive colder climates.
The Mystery of the Missing Gap
So, if we have bear skins 300,000 years ago and clothing lice 170,000 years ago, what happened in between? Lice need regular access to human skin to survive, so the gap suggests clothes weren’t worn constantly. Perhaps clothing use varied depending on climate or occasion.
Clothes: A Story of Adaptability
The history of clothing is likely a story of fits and starts. Different human groups may have worn clothes only when needed, for example, during cold spells. Evidence from Tasmania shows Aboriginal people used hide-scraping tools and bone needles to make clothes during the last ice age, but abandoned them as the climate warmed.
The Importance of Clothes
Clothes weren’t just about warmth. They may have provided protection from the sun, insects, and thorns. They could also have served social purposes, like decoration or signaling group identity.
A Story Still Unfolding
The quest to understand when humans started wearing clothes is ongoing. New discoveries and analysis of existing evidence will continue to refine the picture. But one thing is clear: clothes have played a significant role in our long journey as a species.
