It was so easy, even a caveman could make it.
Humans almost fell asleep in their beds as they walked the earth, according to a new study published in the journal Science.
In South Africa’s world-famous excavation site, archaeologists have discovered evidence of grass mats dating back to 200,000 years ago – more than 100,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to the study. Researchers say the discovery “cognitive, behavioral and social complexity” evidence is more commonly observed in many newer civilizations, Science Alert reports.
In fact, the prehistoric slum sacks used a surprisingly saber system of grass stacked on top of ashes like a burnt plantation, which was presumably used to control pests.
“We speculate that laying grass beds on ashes was a deliberate strategy, not only to create a dirt-free, insulated base for the bedding, but also to repel creeping insects,” said lead study author Lyn Wadley, professor of archeology at the University of Johannesberg of the Witwatersrand, said in a news release.
The Flinstone-invented inventions probably also doubled as workspace – as evidenced by the fact that the beds contained stone planks from the tool that was used to make them.
In addition to being versatile, the old mattresses also provide important clues about decorative habits of early people. Wadley noted that “many small, round grains of red and orange ocher were found in the bed, where they rubbed human skin or colored objects.”
From this single discovery we can deduce that the people decorated their houses with ocher, almost as long as they lived; knew the best places to sleep; used their beds as workstations; and could produce fire at will and use it as an insect.
“Such strategies would have health benefits that benefit these early communities,” Wadley said.
This is not the first discovery that has shifted modern perceptions of early humans. In December, a spelunker happened over an Indonesian cave painting of a hunting scene that could be the oldest story in the world.
.
