New research suggests that the making of string figures, a globally documented practice, may point to shared cultural heritage stretching back millennia. The research offers a new way to investigate the evolution and distribution of cultural phenomena using mathematical methods.

A collaborative study between the University of Helsinki, Aarhus University, the National Museum of Denmark and Seattle University examined the cognitive, cultural and historical significance of traditional string figures. String figure games involve the manipulation of a loop of string with the fingers to create complex patterns. The study explored whether certain string figures evolved independently in different parts of the world or share a common ancestry.

The researchers analysed 826 string figures from 92 cultures around the world. They found 83 recurring designs. The results show that certain figures are globally prevalent. In certain cases, this suggests ancient cultural origins potentially extending back millennia.

“Strikingly similar string figuress appear in, for example, the North American Arctic cultures or in the Pacific region. These are examples of how people have transmitted traditional string figures through migration and contact over centuries or even millennia. We also noted that some figures appear only in restricted regions, which may indicate both isolation and local innovation,” explains Postdoctoral Researcher Roope Kaaronen of the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences.

Combinations of arts, crafts, play, storytelling and mathematical reasoning

String figures are a tangible example of cultural artifacts that combine art, crafts, play, storytelling and mathematical reasoning. Such traditions shared across humanity may help in understanding human creativity, cognitive evolution and the origins of mathematical thinking.
“String figures demonstrate the human drive to seek and develop cognitively challenging forms of entertainment, such as more recent games like chess or sudoku,” says Kaaronen.

A ‘family tree’ of string figures

The researchers applied mathematical knot theory to develop a computational method to create a DNA-like symbolic representation of each string figure. This enables the cross-cultural comparison of string figures and the construction of their “family tree”.
The method also enables the study of the evolution of numerous other early human technologies, which may help archaeologists and anthropologists investigate cultural heritage in a novel way.

“The analysis methods we developed can be extended to the quantitative study and cross-cultural comparison of other objects made of string, cord, thread or rope, such as knots, fishing nets and textiles. Digital methods and computational tools allow us to preserve and understand this cultural heritage better and to ensure its transmission to future generations,” summarises Kaaronen.