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The Ādam Paradox Hypothesis 18
Strand Two: Ornaments and Engravings
Qafzeh (~92 ka): Ornaments of Shell
At Qafzeh, Israel, perforated shells dated to ~92 ka bear microscopic wear,
showing they were strung as beads (Bar-Yosef Mayer et al., 2009). Combined
with ochre-stained skeletons, this suggests early personal adornment.
But, again, the tradition vanishes. Later Levantine layers show no such
continuity.
Blombos Cave (~77–73 ka): Engraved Ochre
In South Africa’s Blombos Cave, excavations uncovered ochre plaquettes
engraved with cross-hatched designs, alongside shell beads and bone tools
(Henshilwood et al., 2002). These abstract designs are widely regarded as the
earliest known “art.
”
Henshilwood argued:
“The engravings are intentional, structured, and repeated. They
demonstrate the capacity for abstract thought and communication” (Henshilwood et al.,
2002, p. 1278).
And yet, Blombos belongs to the Still Bay technocomplex (~77–73 ka)—a
phase that ends abruptly, replaced by simpler toolkits.
Diepkloof (~60–52 ka): Engraved Ostrich Eggs
At Diepkloof, ostrich eggshell fragments bear repeated geometric motifs, dated
to ~60–52 ka (Texier et al., 2010). These likely served as decorated water
containers.
Texier noted:
“The motifs were standardized and repeated, suggesting a shared symbolic
code
” (Texier et al., 2010, p. 6180). But, like Blombos, the tradition dies with the
Howiesons Poort technocomplex (~65–59 ka).
Table 3.1 — Spark Sites Before Full Ignition