The survival of this organic material was scientifically crucial for reasons that went beyond the obvious interest of having ancient textiles.

The preservation of soft tissue, hair, and high-quality bone created the conditions for ancient DNA extraction.

DNA degrades rapidly in warm, moist environments.

In cold, dry environments, it can survive for much longer — potentially for tens of thousands of years under the right conditions.

The Spirit Cave burial had experienced dry conditions for millennia, which meant that when researchers eventually attempted to extract ancient DNA from the remains, there was a genuine possibility that usable genetic material had survived.

That possibility was the key to resolving the debate that had been building for decades.