Indigenous input revealed early hints of fiber making in the tropics

To decipher marks on ancient stone tools, researchers turned to the Philippines’ Pala’wan people

A photo of three ancient stone artifacts from the island of Palawan in the Philippines on a black background.

An analysis of markings on ancient stone artifacts (a selection shown) from the island of Palawan in the Philippines suggest the stones were tools used to make plant-based fibers and other textiles.

© The National Museum of the Philippines

On the island of Palawan in the Philippines, a cave has yielded reams of ancient artifacts, including thousands of stone tools.