Ancient Shell Beads Found in Morocco May Be World’s Oldest Jewelry at 150,000 Years Old

It was on the prehistoric site of Bizmoune, 14 kilometers from Essaouira, that the 33 shell beads were discovered. Excavated between 2014 and 2018, their dating would indicate that they are between 142,000 and 150,000 years old, making them the oldest shell beads ever discovered in the world, according to the British newspaper Daily Mail.

Their discovery indicates that the beads were perforated to be used as ornaments on clothing or jewelry. The researchers see in the use of these beads a form of non-verbal human communication intended to mark identity or belonging.

The discovery was made by an international team of 26 researchers, including two archaeologists from the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage of Rabat (INSAP), alongside their colleagues from the United States, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.