Archaeologists have unearthed what may be the world’s oldest known examples of sewn clothing, dating back roughly 12,400 years. The discovery, detailed in a recent report in Science Advances on February 4, 2026, consists of two small scraps of elk hide joined together with a cord made of twisted fibers. The fragments were found in Cougar Mountain Cave, located in the high desert of Oregon, and suggest that humans at the end of the last Ice Age possessed the skill and technology to create garments for warmth and protection.
“They are definitely sewn, because we have cordage sewn into a hide that comes right out and goes into another piece of hide,” explained Richard Rosencrance, an archaeologist at the University of Nevada, Reno. This direct evidence of sewing is particularly significant, as it provides a tangible link to the development of clothing technology during a period when humans were adapting to increasingly harsh climates.
The artifacts were initially recovered from the cave in the 1950s but remained in private hands until recently, when they were made available for scientific analysis alongside 54 other artifacts from the area. Beyond the elk hide fragments, the collection includes pieces of bison, rabbit, hare, and fox hides, as well as additional cords crafted from both hide and plant fibers – potentially a type of rush. These cords, researchers note, could have served a multitude of purposes beyond clothing construction.
A bundled collection of fibers, twisted together in an early form of weaving, also suggests the potential creation of other textile-based items, such as bags, baskets, or mats. The preservation of these organic materials is remarkable, attributed to the exceptionally dry air of the region. This same environmental factor is believed to have contributed to the survival of the world’s oldest known pants, discovered in a desert environment and dated to around 3,000 years ago.
The discovery offers a rare glimpse into the lives of the Native American inhabitants of Cougar Mountain Cave during the Late Pleistocene epoch. The stone tools and bone needles found alongside the hides further support the conclusion that these early people were actively engaged in clothing production. While the precise function of the elk hide fragments remains open to interpretation, the prevailing hypothesis is that they represent remnants of a larger garment designed to shield the wearer from the elements.
The exceptional preservation conditions in Cougar Mountain Cave, and nearby Paisley Caves where evidence dates back over 14,000 years, have yielded a wealth of perishable artifacts. The find of a processed rabbit pelt in Paisley Caves draws parallels to the rabbit-fur skirts traditionally used by the Northern Paiutes of Oregon, interwoven with plant fibers, suggesting a potentially unbroken cultural tradition stretching back to the Paleolithic era.
Artifacts made from biological materials are inherently fragile and rarely survive for extended periods. The ultradry climate of the Oregon high desert proved crucial in preserving these delicate remnants of the past, offering invaluable insights into the technological capabilities and adaptive strategies of early human populations. The analysis of these artifacts continues, promising further revelations about the lives and ingenuity of those who inhabited this region at the end of the last Ice Age.
The implications of this discovery extend beyond simply identifying the oldest sewn items. It provides concrete evidence of a sophisticated understanding of materials, tool use, and construction techniques among early humans. It underscores the importance of clothing not just for physical protection, but also as a crucial element in human adaptation and survival in challenging environments.
