Ostrich eggshell beads

Examples of ostrich eggshell beads found in archaeological contexts in Africa.

Ostrich eggshell beads, considered among the earliest ornaments created by Homo sapiens,[1][2] represent some of the most ancient fully manufactured beads.[3] Archaeologists have traced their origins back to the Late Pleistocene, with evidence suggesting they were crafted as early as 75,000 years ago in Africa.[4] Certain populations continue to produce and utilize these beads in contemporary times.[5]

Ostrich eggshell beads likely originated from eastern Africa.[3] They appear in the archaeological record all throughout Africa in a variety of contexts, including those of foraging, herding, and farming societies.[2] They are particularly well-represented in the archaeological record of the Holocene,[2] and are well-studied in eastern and southern Africa.[3] They can be useful to archaeologists as a way to study symbolic meanings, the creation and maintenance of social identities, exchange, and can even be used to radiocarbon date sites.[6] They also appear in the archaeological record of Asia, with some beads dating to 12,000 years old.[5]

  1. ^ Collins, Benjamin; Wojcieszak, Marine; Nowell, April; Hodgskiss, Tammy; Ames, Christopher J. H. (2020-07-29). "Beads and bead residues as windows to past behaviours and taphonomy: a case study from Grassridge Rockshelter, Eastern Cape, South Africa". Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. 12 (8). doi:10.1007/s12520-020-01164-5. ISSN 1866-9557. S2CID 220837809.
  2. ^ a b c Miller, Jennifer M.; Sawchuk, Elizabeth A. (2019-11-27). "Ostrich eggshell bead diameter in the Holocene: Regional variation with the spread of herding in eastern and southern Africa". PLOS ONE. 14 (11): e0225143. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225143. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6880992. PMID 31774851.
  3. ^ a b c Miller, Jennifer M.; Wang, Yiming V. (2021-12-20). "Ostrich eggshell beads reveal 50,000-year-old social network in Africa". Nature. 601 (7892): 234–239. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04227-2. ISSN 0028-0836. PMC 8755535. PMID 34931044.
  4. ^ Solomon, Tessa (2022-01-19). "Following a Trail of Ancient Ostrich Beads, Scientists Discover the World's Oldest Social Network". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  5. ^ a b Sawchuk, Elizabeth; Miller, Jennifer Midori. "The tiny ostrich eggshell beads that tell the story of Africa's past". The Conversation. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  6. ^ Tryon, Christian A.; Lewis, Jason E.; Ranhorn, Kathryn L.; Kwekason, Amandus; Alex, Bridget; Laird, Myra F.; Marean, Curtis W.; Niespolo, Elizabeth; Nivens, Joelle; Mabulla, Audax Z. P. (2018-02-28). "Middle and Later Stone Age chronology of Kisese II rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania". PLOS ONE. 13 (2): e0192029. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0192029. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 5830042. PMID 29489827.