Comment on "30,000-year-old wild flax fibers".
Kvavadze et al. (Brevia, 11 September 2009, p. 1359) identified fiber samples as 30,000-year-old flax based on a comparison with modern flax fibers analyzed by compound microscope and on the presence of dislocations/nodes in the fibers. We argue that this evidence is not sufficient to identify the fibers as flax.
Bergfjord
C
C
Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Allegaten 55, 5007 Bergen, Norway.
Karg
S
S
Rast-Eicher
A
A
Nosch
M-L
ML
Mannering
U
U
Allaby
R G
RG
Murphy
B M
BM
Holst
B
B
D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000032:analysis; D019597:Flax / Q000737:chemistry; D005846:Georgia (Republic); D049690:History, Ancient; D008853:Microscopy; D055110:Radiometric Dating; D013784:Textiles / Q000266:history*
D018744:DNA, Plant