The world's oldest pair of pants (1200 BCE).
I seem to write a lot about the history of clothing, but that's because I find it interesting. Clothing is an integral part of the everyday fabric of our lives, and it shows so much about our technological expertise, cultural identity, and forms of artistic expression. We think of pants as being a modern invention, but they've been worn by humans for about 3,200 years. This Chinese mummy, found in what is now the Xinjiang province, wears pants that still show the same decorative pattern they had when they were worn. Really special.
It turns out the region he was found in, the Tarim Basin, is home to tons of major archaeological findings. Like this exceptionally well-preserved mummy, known as the Princess of Xiaohe. Even though she is 3,800 years old, you can clearly see her face and even her eyelashes. Her grave contains very interesting items -- she was buried covered in cheese and wheat. Interesting...
I don't normally associate cheese with Chinese food, although it is a major part of Mongolian cuisine. The Princess is described as having Indo-European facial features, though, and blonde hair. It's always interesting how cultures (pun intended) and peoples move around over the centuries and millennia.
A very smart monkey
Ancient stone tools found in Brazil might not have been made by early humans, but instead by monkeys (!!!) The stone tools in question are very similar to tools used today by capuchin monkeys in the area. I love seeing what other species are capable of. Plus, capuchin monkeys look so adorable :3
