When did people start wearing clothes: what does science say?

Archaeological research indicates that clothing does not survive as well as artifacts made of hard materials, so scientists have to get creative to answer this difficult question.

When early humans evolved from ape-like ancestors and lost their fur, they became exposed to the elements, so clothing became necessary for protection. However, the date of the beginning of wearing clothes is difficult to determine due to the lack of material evidence, Live Science writes.

Read also: The oldest traces of human existence in Europe were found in Transcarpathia (photo)

Scientists have been studying the evolutionary history of lice that live on humans to determine the moment when our ancestors began wearing clothes. Studies of lice genetics and human genetics indicate that head lice evolved from ape lice about 170,000 years ago.

But the evidence for the existence of clothes lice may be even older. According to archaeological findings, the Homo heidelbergensis group wore bear skins as early as 300,000 years ago.

The history of clothing is complex and is linked to evolutionary changes and climatic conditions. Although scientists continue to research this topic, there is no definitive answer to the question of when people started wearing clothes.

Earlier, scientists learned that cavemen could hibernate.

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