It was a key technological innovation used to adorn clothing for social and cultural purposes. The appearance of eyed needles dates back 40,000 years. Research considers this milestone to be the origin of fashion. It marked the fundamental shift from clothing as protection to clothing as an expression of identity.
“Eye-tipped needle tools are an important development in prehistory. They document the transition of clothing from utilitarian to social purposes,” said lead author of the study, Dr Ian Gilligan of the University of Sydney.
Complex clothing
Why did we start dressing to express ourselves and impress others? Dr. Gilligan and his co-authors reinterpret the evidence from recent discoveries in the development of clothing. They do so in a new paper published in Science Advances.
“Looking at different cultures, we realize that people existed and functioned perfectly well in society without clothes,” she says. “The transition of clothing from being a physical necessity to a social necessity is intriguing.”
The appearance of eyed needles occurred 40,000 years ago in Siberia. They were difficult to manufacture compared to bone awls, which were sufficient to create fitted clothing. The pierced hole (eye) made it easier to sew in tendons or thread. Bone awls were already used to create tailored clothing. So the innovation of eyed needles may reflect the production of more complex, layered clothing. And the embellishment of clothing by attaching beads and other small decorative elements.
Social impact
“This points to the use of clothing as decoration,” says Dr Gilligan. “Eye-enclosed needles would have been particularly useful for the very fine needlework required to decorate clothing.” Clothing began to serve a social and aesthetic function for individual and cultural identity.
The regular use of clothing allowed larger, more complex societies to form. People could move to colder climates and identify themselves as a community based on shared clothing styles and symbols. The skills associated with clothing production contributed to a more sustainable lifestyle. And they improved the long-term survival and prosperity of human communities.
