These days , pant are our garment of choice . But for years , our ancestors draped themselves in tunics , gown , and gowns , until someone decide they were tired of let the wind up their skirt . So , what instigate the modification ? When , exactly , did two - legged trousers become a thing ?
A late archaeological discovery gives us a clue . Archaeologists Ulrike Beck and Mayke Wagner of the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin excavated two ancient Steffi Graf in a cemetery in Xinjiang , China and , among the cadaver , observe two twain of well - uphold woollen pants . Radiocarbon geological dating puts them at between 3000 and 3300 year old , piddle them the oldest - known yoke of trousers ever bring out . This historical time full point corresponds with the wage increase of “ mobile pastoralism ” in Central Asia — nomads began move their herds across the land , and they did so on horseback . tunica and robe were n’t comfortable or conducive to long , bumpy rides — and conflict — so these ancient mass innovate . They created pant .
“ The invention of bifurcate low body garments is relate to the young epoch of horseback horseback riding , mounted warfare and greater mobility , ” Beck and Wagner write in arecent paperoutlining their determination . They believe the pants , which are straight - fitting and have a wide of the mark crotch suitable for straddling , are predecessors to the riding trousers worn today . Along with the drawers , the graves also contained sawbuck - hinge upon gear wheel like bridles , whips , and horse tail .
Victor Mair , a prof of Chinese spoken communication and lit at the Center for East Asian Studies , believesthe nomads of theTarim Basin , settle in the Xinjiang area where the pants were found , set about ride Equus caballus about 3400 years ago . Mair himself helped describe what were previously thought to be the Old twain of trousers , find on a 2600 - year - old ma in the same expanse .
