Hypothesis:
What we know from this article: The fibres found were linen, made from wild flax, and they were dyed. The fibres found are about 28,000 years old, plus or minus. Based upon the total find, the site was a center of production of colorful fibre, and probably cloth, along with fur and leather goods.
What I'd guess: Given that this site strongly indicates production of larger amounts of fibre, the technology has to be considerably older than the 28,000 years of the site age. That there is evidence of manufacture of vibrant cloth on the site supports this. That the cloth was linen encourages me to believe that the fibre lust we suffer today (linen and wool being my own personal lusts, with silk and fine cotton next) was well entrenched in the human psyche by this time.
Conclusion: Fibre lust has to be no less than 30,000 years a part of our human way of life.
You should see my collection! And I certainly don't have anywhere near enough yarn, and I could definitely use a few dress lengths of linen and twill. *nodnodnod*
Glad to know I'm not alone!
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