TY - JOUR
T1 - Green stone beads at the dawn of agriculture
AU - Mayer, Daniella E.Bar Yosef
AU - Porat, Naomi
PY - 2008/6/24
Y1 - 2008/6/24
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Late Natufian
KW - Near east
KW - Neolithic
KW - Symbolism
KW - Transition to agriculture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=47249110222&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.0709931105
DO - 10.1073/pnas.0709931105
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
C2 - 18559861
AN - SCOPUS:47249110222
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 105
SP - 8548
EP - 8551
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 25
ER -