Rapidly melting ice patches in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia have yielded an extraordinary archaeological find: perfectly preserved cedar-bark cordage dating back 4,000 years. The artifact, discovered by a joint team of glaciologists and Indigenous First Nations researchers, was found alongside caribou hunting tools. Because the cordage remained frozen in a stable anaerobic environment, the delicate fibers and intricate plying techniques remain visible to the naked eye.
The discovery provides invaluable insights into the pre-colonial textile technology of the region, showing a sophisticated understanding of plant fiber processing. Indigenous elders involved in the project noted that the plying pattern matches traditional methods still taught today, demonstrating over four millennia of cultural continuity. The cordage is currently being stabilized at a specialized cold-storage facility to prevent rapid degradation now that it has been exposed to the air.