Plants to textiles: Local bast fiber textiles at Pre-Pottery Neolithic Çatalhöyük

Recent analysis of textiles from Çatalhöyük’s East Mound middle habitation phase (6700–6500 cal. B.C.) reveals that these ancient artifacts, previously thought to be made from flax, were instead crafted using tree bast fibers, including oak, elm, and willow/poplar. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about Neolithic textile production in Southwest Asia and demonstrates the sophisticated understanding of local tree biology and seasonality among early textile makers. The study employed a detailed examination of five woven textile and two cordage fragments to identify raw material origins and thread-making techniques, uncovering an end-to-end splicing method that adds to our knowledge of prehistorical textile manufacturing processes.

Loudon, N. N., Wollstonecroft, M., & Fuller, D. Q. (2023). Plants to textiles: Local bast fiber textiles at Pre-Pottery Neolithic Çatalhöyük. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 49, 103940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.103940