The World's Oldest Sewing Needle Surfaces

...and it wasn't found in a haystack.

Guess its age:  an estimated FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS old.

More than 40,000 years more ancient than the last one found. Ironically, many have appeared in Russia, but Egypt also has its share. Viking age bone needles have been found, too.

This one's Siberian, featured in a Listverse column:

Archaeologists recently unearthed the world’s oldest sewing needle in Siberia’s Altai Mountains. The 50,000-year-old needle was discovered in Denisova Cave and was used by non-Homo sapiens. The 7-centimeter (2.8 in) needle contains a hole for thread and was made from the bone of a large, unidentified bird. Researchers had previously found needles in later cave layers, but this is the oldest and longest one yet discovered.

This needle predates the previous earliest-known specimen by 40,000 years. It was discovered in the same layer as our mysterious hominid cousins, the Denisovans, who were named after the cave. The Denisovans were more technologically advanced than Neanderthals. A precise hole in a Denisovan bracelet could only have been accomplished with a high-rotation drill similar to those used today.

photo from Siberian Times

Read more about it here. And yes, the scientists studying it say the bird bone needle is still usable.

Whoa.

The oldest U.S.-uncovered needles, so far, are about 2,000 years old, found in the American Southwest. But the cactus needles were used for tattoos, not sewing.

Come on, America, get cracking!

Sunbonnet DOW pattern, from Pinterest via bing.com