Oldest known giant rock scallop bead suggests California coastal trade began millennia earlier
Archaeologists have discovered two giant rock scallop beads that push back the clock on the first appearance of these high-status ornaments. The discovery shows that these prized marine beads were traded hundreds of miles from the California coast thousands of years earlier than previously thought.
Two recently discovered giant rock scallop beads from inland Monterey County have pushed back the timeline of high-status marine ornaments in California. Radiocarbon dating reveals one bead is approximately 8,500 years old, making it the oldest ever found, while the other dates to around 3,674 years ago. The older bead, discovered at the Turkey Flats site, originated from Southern California and supports long-distance coastal-interior trade dating back over 5,000 years.
Both beads provide insights into early human adaptation to environmental changes and the cultural significance of these ornaments in Indigenous societies.
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