60,000-year-old ostrich eggshell engravings reveal a surprisingly sophisticated human mind
More than 60,000 years ago, humans in southern Africa were engraving ostrich eggshells with intricate geometric patterns that appear far more organized than previously realized. Researchers found recurring grids, parallel lines, right angles, and repeated shapes, suggesting the designs followed deliberate rules rather than being improvised. The engravers may even have planned entire patterns in…
Archaeologists found engravings on ostrich eggshells that are over 60,000 years old, located in southern Africa. These fragments were created by early humans and a new study suggests the markings were more organized than previously thought. The engravings, published in PLOS One, followed geometric principles involving parallel lines, right-angle relationships, and repeated patterns.
Professor Silvia Ferrara, who led the study at the University of Bologna, said the markings showed a structured, geometric way of thinking. The engravings were likely used as containers for water. The researchers examined the engravings using geometric and statistical techniques and found that over 80% of the configurations contained consistent spatial patterns.
The ability to create such organized designs could represent an important sign of emerging abstract thought, a major development in human cognition.
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