研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)了最古老的手工制作的繩子，它不是人類(lèi)手工制作的

研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)了最古老的手工制作的繩子，它不是人類(lèi)手工制作的

Neanderthals were making string and cords from fibres long before early humans cottoned on to the technique, according to a new archaeological discovery.

根據(jù)一項(xiàng)新的考古發(fā)現(xiàn)，早在早期人類(lèi)掌握這項(xiàng)技術(shù)之前，尼安德特人就已經(jīng)用纖維制作繩索了。

Researchers have found a 6.2 millimetre (0.24 inch) fibre fragment which they date to around 41,000–52,000 years ago – so quite a bit older than the previous record holder, a 19,000-year-old fragment found in Israel.

研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)了一塊6.2毫米(0.24英寸)的纖維碎片，他們將其追溯到大約41000 - 52000年前——這比之前的記錄保持者——一塊19,000年前在以色列發(fā)現(xiàn)的纖維碎片——要古老得多。

The discovery was made in a cave in France, which would've been a Neanderthal settlement at the time. It suggests the species were smarter and more adept at crafts than we often give them credit for.

這一發(fā)現(xiàn)是在法國(guó)的一個(gè)洞穴中發(fā)現(xiàn)的，當(dāng)時(shí)這里可能是尼安德特人的居住地。這表明，這個(gè)物種比我們通常認(rèn)為的更聰明，更擅長(zhǎng)做手工。

"Understanding and use of twisted fibres implies the use of complex multi-component technology as well as a mathematical understanding of pairs, sets, and numbers," write the researchers in their published paper.

研究人員在他們發(fā)表的論文中寫(xiě)道: “理解和使用扭曲纖維意味著使用復(fù)雜的多組分技術(shù)，以及對(duì)成對(duì)、集合和數(shù)字的數(shù)學(xué)理解。”。

"Added to recent evidence of birch bark tar, art, and shell beads, the idea that Neanderthals were cognitively inferior to modern humans is becoming increasingly untenable."

“再加上最近樺樹(shù)皮焦油、藝術(shù)品和貝殼珠子的證據(jù)，尼安德特人在認(rèn)知上不如現(xiàn)代人的觀點(diǎn)越來(lái)越站不住腳了。”

After discovering the fragment, the researchers used spectroscopy and microscopy techniques to analyse it and determine where the fibres had originally come from – probably the inner bark of a non-flowering tree, such as a conifer, before it hardened.

在發(fā)現(xiàn)這片碎片后，研究人員利用光譜學(xué)和顯微鏡技術(shù)對(duì)其進(jìn)行分析，并確定纖維最初來(lái)自哪里——可能是未開(kāi)花樹(shù)木的內(nèi)部樹(shù)皮，比如針葉樹(shù)，在變硬之前。

The team suggests that we have a poor understanding of the Neanderthals because perishable materials like this are usually long gone by the time we get to them. Tools and bones can only tell us so much.

研究小組認(rèn)為，我們對(duì)尼安德特人的了解很有限，因?yàn)橄襁@樣的易腐材料通常在我們接觸到它們的時(shí)候就已經(jīng)消失很久了。工具和骨骼只能告訴我們這么多。

If these ancient hominids were indeed able to make string, they would have had to know about the growth and seasonality of the trees the fibres were taken from, and been able to apply some numeracy skills to twist and bundle the fibres up into yarn.

如果這些遠(yuǎn)古的原始人真的能夠織成線，他們就必須了解樹(shù)木的生長(zhǎng)情況和季節(jié)，并能夠運(yùn)用一些計(jì)算技能將纖維搓成線。

In other words, making fibres and string is more complicated than you might realise. The researchers think the fragment they've discovered might have been a handle for the flint tool it was attached to, or part of a net or a bag for holding tools.

換句話說(shuō)，制作纖維和細(xì)繩比你想象的要復(fù)雜得多。研究人員認(rèn)為他們發(fā)現(xiàn)的碎片可能是燧石工具的把手，或者是用來(lái)裝工具的網(wǎng)或袋子的一部分。

The research has been published in Scientific Reports.

這項(xiàng)研究發(fā)表在《科學(xué)報(bào)告》上。