Flax seeds were already eaten in the Neolithic period. Tiny fragments of linen, dated 36,000 years old, were discovered in a cave in Georgia in 2009. These are believed to be the first traces of textiles worked by men. For the Egyptians, the linen cloth, called woven moonlight, was a symbol of purity. The Phoenicians organized the first flax trade in Europe, while the Gauls cultivated flax to weave their boat sails with its fibers. Their druids wore high-quality linen fabrics. Several centuries later, Emperor Charlemagne imposed flax weaving on every household.