Artifacts from the ‘Roof of the World’: 9,000-Year-Old ‘Needles’ Discovered in Tibet
By Tsering Choephel
DHARAMSALA, 8 August: Ancient stone artifacts discovered in western Tibet, identified as stone sewing needles, are said to be 9,000 years old, making them the oldest of their kind on record, according to a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports by a group of Chinese archaeologists, as reported by science.org.
Six unusual stone artifacts were found near the shore of a lake in Ruthog, western Tibet, by a Chinese archaeological team in 2020. Each artifact, slightly longer than an inch, features a pointed tip at one end and an eye-like opening at the other. These artifacts date back as much as 9,000 years and “resemble thick sewing needles,” said Yun Chen, a member of the team.
Made of tremolite, serpentine, actinolite, and talc, these stone needles are much stronger as well as harder to make than bone needles, the oldest of which dates back approximately 50,000 years as discovered at a Russian archaeological site.
The oldest stone needle on record were only 2700 years old, found in Henan province in China. Thus, the findings in Tibet, dated between 7049 and 6568 BC as determined through “radiocarbon dating of charcoal fragments and animal bones found with the needles,” push the advent of stone needles back by more than 6,000 years, according to the report.
The ancient Tibetans’ use of stone instead of bone for making needles was likely due to their efficiency in sewing “thicker materials, such as tents,” says Chen. Interestingly, microscopic examination revealed “traces of vivid red paint, rich in ochre pigment, that had once covered the entire needle.” This discovery resets the record for the earliest use of ochre on the Tibetan Plateau by 4,500 years.
Moreover, the red color is believed to symbolize “life and energy” and to keep evil spirits at bay in ancient Tibetan beliefs system. As such, the discovery marks the oldest cultural symbol from Tibet, according to the report.
However, some experts question the classification of the artifacts as “needles.” Francesco d’Errico, an anthropologist at the University of Bordeaux, praised the team’s findings but suggested that the tips of the artifacts are “too blunt for sewing,” and the ochre may indicate a more symbolic use. “The most parsimonious explanation is that they were used as personal ornaments,” he said.
Recent genetic and archaeological studies indicate that human presence on the Tibetan Plateau, considered one of the harshest ecosystems for human habitation, dates back as far as 62,000 years. This discovery challenges the previous belief that humans did not inhabit ‘the roof of the world’ until 15,000 years ago.
