Insect-Repellent Beds used by Ancient Cave Men

Published on Wednesday, 21 December 2011 10:37

	By Raj Bilkhu Follow @Journo_Raj

In today’s modern world, we have solutions to fend off virtually all pests to ensure a good nights kip. Yet historians have found that our ancient ancestors used an innovative way to make bug-repellent beds nearly 80,000 years ago.

Fossils of bedding made from plants that repel pests have been found in caves in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province. This proves that ancient humans were aware of the beneficial properties of some plants 77,000 years ago.

The bedding was made up of dense layers of compressed stems and leaves of rushes and sedges found on river banks. This was topped with a thinner layer of wild-quince leaves.

Lyn Wadley who is an archaeology professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, led the team of archaeologists who made this remarkable discovery.

“This has yielded the earliest evidence in the world for plant bedding and the use of medicinal plants,” she said.

“The leaves contained chemicals that repelled mosquitoes and other insects.”

“They would have known that those leaves kept away insects and maybe other pests as well.”

The leaves would also lower the risk of insect-borne disease like malaria. Although Professor Wadley believes prehistoric humans would not have known about the prevention of malaria.

Closer analysis by a junior professor in Germany, Christopher Miller revealed more. The bedding was frequently burned by cave people, suggesting they did this to sanitise the area and kill bugs.

These are also the oldest beds ever found. Prior to this finding, historians had only discovered prehistoric beds dating back 27,000 years ago.