Green stone beads at the dawn of agriculture

Daniella E.Bar Yosef Mayer, Naomi Porat

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

98 Scopus citations

Abstract

The use of beads and other personal ornaments is a trait of modern human behavior. During the Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods, beads were made out of shell, bone, ivory, egg shell, and occasionally of minerals. During the transition to agriculture in the Near East, stone, in particular green stone, was used for the first time to make beads and pendants. We observed that a large variety of minerals of green colors were sought, including apatite, several copper-bearing minerals, amazonite and serpentinite. There seems to be an increase with time of distance from which the green minerals were sought. Because beads in white, red, yellow, brown, and black colors had been used previously, we suggest that the occurrence of green beads is directly related to the onset of agriculture. Green beads and bead blanks were used as amulets to ward off the evil eye and as fertility charms.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)8548-8551
Number of pages4
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume105
Issue number25
DOIs
StatePublished - 24 Jun 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Late Natufian
  • Near east
  • Neolithic
  • Symbolism
  • Transition to agriculture

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