The ties that bind: Computational, cross-cultural analyses of knots reveal their cultural evolutionary history and significance

Integral to the fabric of human technology, knots have shaped survival strategies throughout history. As the ties that bind, their evolution and diversity have afforded human cultural change and expression. This study examines knotting traditions over time and space. We analyse a sample of 332 knots from 83 ethnographically or archaeologically documented societies over ten millennia. Utilising a novel approach that combines knot theory with computational string matching, we show that knotted structures can be precisely represented and compared across cultures. This methodology reveals a staple set of knots that occur cross-culturally, and our analysis offers insights into their cultural transmission and the reasons behind their ubiquity. We discuss knots in the context of cultural evolution, illustrating how the ethnographic and archaeological records suggest considerable know-how in knot-tying across societies spanning from the deep past to contemporary times. The study also highlights the potential of this methodology to extend beyond knots, proposing its applicability to a broader range of string technologies.