Earliest Human Beds Found in South Africa

Science Magazine Online ^ | 8 December 2011 | Michael Balter

[Fractal Trader]

Sleepy time at Sibudu. Researchers have found microscopic evidence (inset) of 77,000-year-old bedding at this South African cave.

"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise," wrote Benjamin Franklin in his Poor Richard's Almanack. That may have held true a couple of hundred years ago, but when it comes to our ancient human ancestors, researchers don't know much about how—or even where—they slept. Now a team working in South Africa claims to have found the earliest known sleeping mats, made of plant material and dated up to 77,000 years ago—50,000 years earlier than previous evidence for human bedding. These early mattresses apparently were even specially prepared to be resistant to mosquitoes and other insects.

Early members of our species, Homo sapiens, were nomads who made their living by hunting and gathering. Yet they often created temporary base camps where they cooked food and spent the night. One of the best studied of these camps is Sibudu Cave, a rock shelter in a cliff face above South Africa's Tongati River, about 40 kilometers north of Durban. Sibudu was first occupied by modern humans at least 77,000 years ago and continued to serve as a favored gathering place over the following 40,000 years. Since 1998, a team led by Lyn Wadley, an archaeologist at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, has been excavating at Sibudu, uncovering evidence for complex behaviors, including the earliest known use of bows and arrows.

Over the past several years, the team has found that many of the archaeological layers featured large, 1-centimeter thick swaths of plant remains, including the remnants of both stems and leaves. Most of them cover at least three square meters.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Natufian.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, and lol where appropriate. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

Of course, the RC dating limit is 50,000, not 10,000, but of course, you really don’t know what you’re talking about anyway.

[SunkenCiv]

All what dates? This particular find is dated to 77,000 years old, not using RC dating — the limit for which is 50,000, not a few thousand as you stated. The range of error on this 77,000 year estimate is smaller than the 6015 years you apparently think the Earth is old.

[decimon]

Here’s a little catastrophe to brighten your day: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2818362/posts

[TigersEye]

Among the plant remains, Wadley's team also found tiny fragments of chipped stone and crushed, burnt bone, which the researchers interpret as evidence that these were not only sleeping mats but also work surfaces where tools were fashioned and food was prepared. Thus while early modern humans were skilled at organizing their living spaces, some parts of the cave served double duty, Wadley says. "There were no rules for separate eating, working, or sleeping places," she says. "Breakfast in bed may have been an almost daily occurrence."

They probably just covered all of their living space with mats for comfort and cleanliness. A mat makes standing, kneeling and sitting more comfortable as well as it does lying down.

[Natufian]

They didn’t use C-14 but since you can’t be bothered to stay up to date why should the rest of us take you seriously?

[Yardstick]

On the contrary, perhaps we’re findings artifacts in Africa because Africa was the location of the most recent development, not the oldest, thus, more likely to be preserved.

That's an interesting angle.

[Pharmboy]

[gleeaikin]

I find dates like 77kya for South Africa and 130kya for France very interesting. I have also noticed other interesting finds from 75 to 85kya. These dates fall before the great Toba eruption of about 74kya which left a crater about 18 x 65 miles, and whatever event(s) triggered the start of the last ice age about 125kya. These finds are part of the reason why I think we have had periods of advance in civilization, followed by catastrophe and serious decline in civilization, followed by a gradual rebuilding. I wonder if our civilization will survive the next 200 years??

[SunkenCiv]

I’m only worried that it might not survive the next four years.