How did early plaited mats develop before woven floor coverings?

Before the development of woven floor coverings, early floor mats evolved through a progression of material manipulation. Initially, people utilized crude mats constructed from simple strands of dry stalks and tendrils.1

As techniques advanced, these were replaced by a more structured form of plaited basket-work matting, which involved interlacing fibers. This process of plaiting—often used synonymously with braiding—typically involves the interlacing of three or more strands of materials such as rope or straw to create a flat or tubular fabric. These early methods of interlacing fibers served as a precursor to the more complex spinning and weaving of fibers, which archaeological evidence suggests was being practiced as early as 6000 BCE.123