Why Did Humans Begin Making Jewelry and Ornaments 130,000 Years Ago? — Here’s What It Reveals About Our Earliest Ancestors

Have you ever looked at jewelry or ornaments and wondered why humans wear these decorations on their bodies? Are the reasons the same as when the first humans made them? Long ago, more than 100,000 years ago, the early humans and other hominins weren’t just surviving; they also began to decorate themselves with jewelry and ornaments.

However, unlike in today’s world, these objects are not made from the same materials, and they are not just for show. They carried a bit more weight and story. It is one of our ancestors’ ways of showcasing who they are, their feelings, identity, and their place in their group.

What Are Some of the Oldest Ornaments We’ve Found?

One of the oldest known ornaments was found in Croatia, at a place called Krapina, and it is estimated to be about 130,000 years old. It was made from the talons or claws of white-tailed eagles. There are some signs of them being cut and tied together, which likely suggests they are used as a necklace or bracelet.

However, the modern human species, Homo sapiens, was thought to have only migrated out of Africa to Europe around 50,000 to 70,000 years ago. So, these ornaments and jewelry found in Croatia were probably created by other hominins, such as Neanderthals, who were already inhabiting Europe at the time.

But, there are also some artifacts discovered in Africa, at Blombos Cave in South Africa, that are estimated to be around 75,000 to over 100,000 years old, and likely made by Homo sapiens. They used marine shells to create beads. Each shell was punctured with a hole, strung together with a cord, and likely worn as a necklace.

So, in other words, hominins around the world, thousands of years ago, were already making jewelry and ornaments to display around their body. But what exactly do these decorative objects that are made from substances found naturally in the environment symbolize? Do they even carry a meaning that early humans might be trying to convey?

Read more: Science News Explores

Why Did They Start Wearing Jewelry So Early?

The jewellery of the ancients 120,000 years ago

Wearing jewelry and ornaments was not just a decorative practice over 100,000 years ago. Experts think they likely had meanings and several important reasons. First, they could be a way to communicate a person’s identity and affiliation with a certain group.

Because even back then, humans were already social creatures and needed each other to survive. So, if someone were to wear a special object that could symbolize their belonging to the group, others could easily recognize them as part of the tribe or clan.

This symbolism can foster greater trust, cooperation, and protection, particularly for individuals who tend to live in smaller groups. Jewelry and ornaments could show who belonged to which tribe, family, or group.

Another reason could be to display one’s status and social roles. Since early humans lived as a group of individuals, they needed to create a designation of roles to separate the tasks and make survival more likely. So, the leaders of the groups or even the hunters could be the ones who wear the more elaborate and complex ornaments to communicate their status, authority, and power.

One of the suspected reasons could also be their traditions and spiritual beliefs. The ornaments that were found thousands of years ago most usually have animal parts like teeth or claws. So, this practice might be a way to show their spiritual belief, making the ornaments have symbolic value.

Lastly, it could be a way for individuals to show their art and uniqueness. It could create an identity and meaning that they wanted others to view them as. Being part of a group may have triggered the early humans’ desire to be recognized as an individual with their own personality and emotions.

What Skills and Abilities Did They Need to Make Them?

These jewelry and ornaments made from animal teeth and claws, or seashells and other objects found in nature, may look simple today. But, just imagine making them over 100,000 years ago. One would have to collect the necessary materials, either by hunting an animal or scavenging resources.

Then, to drill shells, modify bones or claws, and shape the ornament, early humans would need a sharp stone and honed motor skills. These could have meant that they have complete mastery of their hands and the ability to manufacture tools specific to their purpose.

Secondly, there are clues that show inland people may have used seashells too, which means that they have travelled long distances to acquire the materials. They needed to collect, select, and then transport these objects that would be used to create an ornament.

It highlights their abilities to plan ahead and shows that they not only survived but also lived with traditions, culture, and knowledge of materials found in distant environments. They were able to organize long-distance collection and maybe even traded with other groups.

Most importantly, they had the capacity for abstract thoughts. The individuals who made these ornaments over 100,000 years ago needed a deep understanding of natural materials and the ability to conceive what they could be as an item that carries identity or status.

Read more: NATURE

What Does Jewelry Tell Us About How Early Humans Thought?

Prehistoric humans made jewellery out of exotic island animals

So, what exactly does this practice of making and wearing jewelry and ornaments mean for how early humans thought? When humans began crafting these decorative and artistic objects, something important changed in how they used their minds.

Before, most thoughts would go to finding food and resources, surviving, and reproducing. But these ornaments show they weren’t just thinking about food, safety, or survival; they thought about personal identity and belonging, beauty, and even spiritual beliefs that showcase their culture.

In other words, humans cared about how other humans in the same group or others view and perceive them. So, it meant that they already have social awareness and know their roles and status in the community. This behavior is often considered normal in today’s world, but back then, it could be a matter of life and survival.

Author's Final Thoughts

Making jewelry and ornaments over 100,000 years ago reveals that early humans weren’t just surviving, but they were also thriving. They thought, imagined, gave meanings to symbols, and cared about how others saw them.

Although it is still difficult to assess what every ornament actually means for the people who made them, the very art of crafting and wearing jewelry shows that they had complex minds and were already beginning to have the mental foundation of what it meant to be human, such as the capacity for culture, communication, and identity.

Read next: How Did Humans Spread Across Europe from Africa Around 45,000 Years Ago? — Here’s What They Faced Along the Way

References & Further Reading

Radovčić, D., Sršen, A. O., Radovčić, J., & Frayer, D. W. (2015). Evidence for Neandertal jewelry: Modified white-tailed eagle claws at Krapina. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119802

Zilhão, J., Angelucci, D. E., Badal-García, E., et al. (2010). Symbolic use of marine shells and mineral pigments by Iberian Neandertals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0914088107

d’Errico, F., Henshilwood, C. S., Vanhaeren, M., & Van Niekerk, K. (2005). Nassarius kraussianus shell beads from Blombos Cave: Evidence for symbolic behaviour in the Middle Stone Age. Journal of Human Evolution. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15656934/

Bouzouggar, A., Barton, N., Vanhaeren, M., et al. (2007). 82,000-year-old shell beads from North Africa and implications for the origins of modern human behaviour. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0703877104