Journal
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
Volume 57, Issue 1, Pages 27-47Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2009.01.005
Keywords
Art; Engravings; Modern behaviour; Pigment; Still Bay; Symbolism; Tradition
Categories
Funding
- National Geographic Scientific Committee (CSH)
- National Research Foundation (South Africa
- CSH)
- Wenner-Gren Foundation (CSH)
- OMLL programme of the European Science Foundation (FD)
- British Academy, National Research Foundation (South Africa
- IW)
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Powerful categories of evidence for symbolically mediated behaviour, variously described as 'modern' or 'cognitively modern' human behaviour, are geometric or iconographic representations. After 40,000 years ago such evidence is well documented in much of the Old World and is widely considered as typifying 'modern human culture,' but earlier evidence is rare. In Africa, this includes two deliberately engraved ochre pieces from c. 75,000 year old levels at Blombos Cave, Western Cape, South Africa and the greater than 55,000 year old incised ostrich egg shell from the Diepkloof shelter, located in the same province. Here we report on thirteen additional pieces of incised ochre recovered from c. 75,000-100,000 year old levels at Blombos Cave. These finds, taken together with other engraved objects reported from other southern African sites, suggest that symbolic intent and tradition were present in this region at an earlier date than previously thought. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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