Seven needles made of animal bones dating back 6,000 years wererecently unearthed from Tham Trong cave in the northern mountainousprovince of Tuyen Quang.
Prof. Trinh Nang Chung,head of the excavation team, said the six-to-eight centimetre-longneedles were polished along their length and sharpened at one end. Hetheorised that the needles might have been used to thread tree barkstring to make clothes.
Scientists have also gathered various pollen samples dating back to the pre-historic era for further research.
More than 1,500 stone tools have also been found including 10 sets ofgrinding tools, where remnants of a red mineral powder thought to beused as a cosmetic for either living people or the bodies of thedeceased, with the notion that red was the colour of eternal life.
Many animal teeth, shells and nuts have also been found. Sea shellsfound at the site suggested the early relationship between localresidents and those from coastal regions, scientists said./.