42,000-Year-Old Shell Jewelry Workshop Discovered in France

La Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire, France. Credit: Paléosite / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Archaeologists person uncovered what is believed to beryllium the oldest ammunition jewelry store successful Europe astatine the Paleolithic site of La Roche-à-Pierrot successful Saint-Césaire, southwestern France.

The site, dating backmost astatine slightest 42,000 years, contains pierced shells and colored pigments, offering uncommon penetration into aboriginal symbolic behavior. This ammunition jewelry store successful France adds caller extent to ongoing probe into the taste practices of prehistoric humans.

The discovery, elaborate successful the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was made by a squad of researchers from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the University of Bordeaux, the Ministry of Culture, and the University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès.

Their findings suggest that the tract served arsenic a accumulation halfway for idiosyncratic ornaments during the Châtelperronian period, a taste signifier marking the modulation betwixt Neanderthals and Homo sapiens successful Europe.

Evidence of symbolic look and long-distance mobility

Several of the shells had nary signs of deterioration connected their perforations, portion others had yet to beryllium pierced, indicating they were successful the process of being transformed into jewelry. Traces of reddish and yellowish pigments were besides recovered nearby.

The probe squad recovered that the shells originated from the Atlantic coast, astir 100 kilometers (62 miles) distant astatine the time, and the pigments were sourced from much than 40 kilometers (25 miles) inland. This grounds supports the thought that prehistoric groups either traveled agelong distances oregon participated successful aboriginal forms of trade.

Selection of diagnostic artifacts. Credit: François Bachellerie / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The tract besides yielded emblematic Neanderthal tools and the remains of hunted animals specified arsenic bison and horses, suggesting a analyzable and varied quality presence.

Archaeologist Marie Soressi, 1 of the pb researchers, noted that the findings assistance show the symbolic and technological sophistication of the Châtelperronian people, who whitethorn person been influenced by oregon portion of aboriginal Homo sapiens populations entering the region.

Châtelperronian civilization nether technological debate

Researchers proceed to statement whether Neanderthals oregon aboriginal modern humans made the artifacts.

The Châtelperronian culture, contiguous successful parts of France and bluish Spain betwixt 55,000 and 42,000 years ago, is recognized arsenic 1 of the earliest Upper Paleolithic industries successful Eurasia.

The Saint-Césaire tract has been nether survey since 1976 and remains a cardinal determination for knowing the interactions betwixt Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.

Continued excavation and analysis, including the re-examination of earlier finds utilizing updated methods, person turned the tract into a captious notation constituent for exploring prehistoric mobility, taste exchange, and identity.