Page 132 - Flipping book The Adam Paradox Hypothesis - Second Edition.pdf

The Ādam Paradox Hypothesis 109
At Diepkloof Rock Shelter, another dramatic step occurred around 65,000 years
ago. Ostrich eggshell fragments bore repeating motifs — cross-hatches,
chevrons, parallel lines — across multiple stratigraphic layers. Pierre-Jean Texier
and colleagues emphasized the significance:
“The engravings are not isolated
acts. They represent conventions, reproduced across time and space, transmitted
across generations.
” (Texier et al., 2010, p. 1034). Unlike Blombos, where
symbolism faded, Diepkloof revealed tradition.
Figure 11.2 — Engraved ostrich-eggshell fragments with motifs from Diepkloof Rock Shelter,
dated to ~65 ka (after Texier et al., 2010).
These fragments, found in the Howiesons Poort
layers of Diepkloof in South Africa, show
repeated geometric motifs—especially hatched
bands—and illustrate an early and sustained
graphic tradition among Homo sapiens. The
assemblage suggests symbolic/identity practices
via decoration of containers.
Further north, at Sibudu Cave, evidence pointed not to ornaments but to
technical ingenuity. Excavations led by Lyn Wadley uncovered compound
adhesives made of resin and ochre, mixed with plant fibers to haft stone points
into wooden shafts. The process required precise sequencing: heating resin,
grinding pigment, mixing ingredients, applying with care.
Wadley concluded:
“Compound adhesives demonstrate abstract reasoning. They require
planning, working memory, and the ability to conceptualize recipes. This is unequivocal
evidence of cognitive modernity.
” (Wadley, 2007, p. 1810).
Sibudu also revealed bedding constructed from sedges and grasses, deliberately
chosen for insect-repellent properties (Wadley et al., 2011). This was foresight —
cognition extending beyond immediate survival.