Knot History

Knot History
The history of knots is as old as when human beings first began making weapons for hunting and wearing clothes. The earliest examples of knots have long since perished, so we are only able to guess as to how old many knots are. The origins of many knots are lost in history, so questions such as - Who tied the first overhand knot? What was it used for? Was it a caveman when making his first flint spear? or was it ealier when man was still a tree dweller? What materials did he/she use? Was it? strips of skin taken from the hides of the creatures he/she hunted? sinnew? or gut of the creature? or Was it plant fibers? If so what plant fibers? are relevant. What we do know however, is that by the time human beings began to combine into tribes or villages he/she was using plant fibers. We also know that catgut is made from the gut of animals and has been in use for many hundreds of years for tying knots. Fortunately, there are some examples of knots preserved that are up to 10,000 years old. To find out more about early man and the knots and and some of the materials used visit www.pecosrio.com.One of the earliest examples of a reef knot can found here at Pecosrio Museum.(Click on the links to see the artifacts) The material used to tie the knot is cords of Lechugilla, a plant fibre. The convention of using BC and AD for dating has been dropped in favour of BP (before Present), so it is easier to put an actual age on an item. So we now know that the reef knot is at least between 2,000 and 9,000 years old. It may well be older, finding actual examples is very difficult. Another early example of a common knot the granny knot has also been found. Tied from a similar material to the reef knot you can see that individual fibers of plants have been extracted and placed together to form a rope strand. Just as today rope is manufactured with a lay (left or right), so rope was made with a twist to the left or right 2,000 to 9,000 years ago. Early left laid rope examples are show here. . What of other common knots that are still in use? How about knot combinations such as chains or sinnets?
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The history of knots is as old as when human beings first began making weapons for hunting and wearing clothes. The earliest examples of knots have long since perished, so we are only able to guess as to how old many knots are. The origins of many knots are lost in history, so questions such as -

Who tied the first overhand knot?

What was it used for?

Was it a caveman when making his first flint spear?
or was it ealier when man was still a tree dweller?
- What materials did he/she use?
- Was it?
  - strips of skin taken from the hides of the creatures he/she hunted?
  - sinnew?
  - or gut of the creature?
- or Was it plant fibers?
  - If so what plant fibers?

are relevant.
What we do know however, is that by the time human beings began to combine into tribes or villages he/she was using plant fibers. We also know that catgut is made from the gut of animals and has been in use for many hundreds of years for tying knots. Fortunately, there are some examples of knots preserved that are up to 10,000 years old. To find out more about early man and the knots and and some of the materials used visit www.pecosrio.com.One of the earliest examples of a reef knot can found here at Pecosrio Museum.(Click on the links to see the artifacts) The material used to tie the knot is cords of Lechugilla, a plant fibre. The convention of using BC and AD for dating has been dropped in favour of BP (before Present), so it is easier to put an actual age on an item.

So we now know that the reef knot is at least between 2,000 and 9,000 years old. It may well be older, finding actual examples is very difficult. Another early example of a common knot the granny knot has also been found. Tied from a similar material to the reef knot you can see that individual fibers of plants have been extracted and placed together to form a rope strand.

Just as today rope is manufactured with a lay (left or right), so rope was made with a twist to the left or right 2,000 to 9,000 years ago. Early left laid rope examples are show here. . What of other common knots that are still in use? How about knot combinations such as chains or sinnets?