> [!NOTE]+ Meta > Author:: Shanti Escalante-De Mattei > Reference:: Mattei, S.E.-D. (2021). Archaeologists Discover ‘Oldest’ Jewelry Ever, Shedding Light on Early Ways of Expressing Identity. [online] ARTnews.com. Available at: https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/oldest-jewelry-discovered-1234611028/. > Date:: 2021 > Tags:: #warp #jewellery #morocco > WeftLinks:: [[Historical value of craft]] > Claim:: [[Claim - Craft helps us understand the past]] > [!SUMMARY] Summary > A discovery of the world's oldest jewellery tell us that symbolic behaviour among humans occurred earlier than previously thought. ### Highlights In Morocco (Mattei, 2021), some of the oldest jewelry beads to date were discovered by archeologists. In addition to being used for self-adornment, it seems they were worn as a way to communicate their identity to people outside of their immediate group. This demonstrates the importance of craft in shaping and communicating identity.  Archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be the world's oldest jewelry, consisting of 33 shell beads dated between 142,000 and 150,000 years old, found in the Bizmoune Cave in Morocco. This significant discovery, published in _Science Advances_, indicates that these beads, made from sea snail shells, were intentionally drilled and likely used for personal adornment or as a means of social communication. The findings suggest that the Aterian culture, associated with these artifacts, was engaged in symbolic behavior much earlier than previously thought, highlighting the cognitive and social complexities of early humans. The beads may have served as a way for individuals to express their identity and connect with broader social networks, marking a crucial development in human cultural practices.