Middle Stone Age Shell Beads from South Africa

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1095905
• Publication Date: 2004-04-15T20:43:25Z
• Authors: Christopher Hensh...; Francesco d'Errico; Marian Vanhaeren; Karen van Niekerk; Zenobia Jacobs
• Keywords: Symbolism; 0303 health sciences; [SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory; Middle Stone Age; [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory; Blombos Cave; Culture; Snails; South Africa; 03 medical and health sciences; Archaeology; personal ornaments; Animals; Humans; perforated shell; Social Behavior; Art

There are two competing models for the emergence of modern human behavior: first, a late emergence in Africa or Eurasia at ∼50 to 40 thousand years ago (ka), and second, a gradual transition in Africa between 250 to 50 ka ([ 1 ][1]). In both models, personal ornaments and art are unquestioned