Ancient Braide Rope (c. 17,000 B.C.E)

Fibers are twisted into a valuable tool. One of the oldest artifacts in the world, rope is still extensively used in many environments. It seems unlikely that it will be replaced for many years. Traditionally made from the natural fibers such as hemp, jute, or coir, rope is now also made from synthetic materials such as nylon and even steel. Rope is a braided fiber, twisted to form a supple, strong...

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Ancient Boomerang (c. 18,000 B.C.E.)

The advent of an easily retrievable weapon. The oldest boomerang so far found was discovered in a cave in the Carpathian Mountains in southern Poland and is believed to be date form 18,000 B.C.E. The practice of throwing wood has also been illustrated in North African rock paintings tha date from the Neolithic Age (approximately 6000 B.C.E) The wood thrown consists variously of a "throwing club,"...

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Ancient Bow and Arrow (c. 20,000 B.C.E)

Distant target come within deadly reach for the first time. Evidence of the early use of bows and arrows has been found in cave paintings in Western Europe and North Africa. Its development probably arose in the Upper Paleolithic (old stone age) around 20,000 B.C.E., when people realized that the weapon would enable hunters to kill outside their throwing range. Bows and arrows were portable, easy...

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Ancient Atlatl (c. 23,000 B.C.E.)

Early humans extended spear-throwing range. When Spaniards first met the Aztecs in around 1500, the explorers were horrified when their armor was easily penetrated by the Aztec throwing darts. The Aztecs achieved this feat with the atlatl, a simple device used by many ancient peoples for long-range hunting, It probably dated from around 23,000 B.C.E.  The atlatl consists of a throwing...

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Ancient Sewing (c. 25,000 B.C.E)

Clothing is fitted using needle and thread. The history of sewing is closely allied to the history of tools, The earliest needles ever discovered date from the paleolithic era ( the earliest stone age) around 25,000 B.C.E., key finds from that period include needles in south west France and near Moscow in Russia. These were made of ivory or bone, with an eyelet gouged out. Some have been found...

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Ancient Sharp Stone Blade (c. 30,000 B.C.E)

Stone Age humans progress to sharpening their tools and weapons. The use of stone instruments more than two million years ago heralded what we call the Stone Age and the very origins of humankind. While it is impossible to date when distinctly worked (rather than simply found) stone blades first appeared in the world, it seems to have occurred circa 30,000 B.C.E. The technique that evolved to...

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