Researchers at the University of Bologna have discovered that geometric patterns on ancient ostrich eggshell containers were created according to strict rules, reflecting abstract thought, reports infohub.kz.
The team conducted a detailed analysis of 112 ostrich egg fragments found at the archaeological sites of Diepkloof and Klipdrift in South Africa, as well as Apollo 11 in Namibia. Homo sapiens living in southern Africa around 60,000 years ago used ostrich eggs as water containers and decorated them with intricate carvings.
The new study, published in the journal PLOS One, demonstrates that these engravings were not random scratches. Professor Silvia Ferrara and doctoral student Valentina Decembrini applied mathematical and statistical methods to examine the lines, angles, and trajectories of the designs in detail.
The results showed that over 80% of the patterns exhibit clear spatial regularity. Ancient artisans used parallel lines, grids, diamonds, and right angles of 90 degrees. They were able to rotate, repeat, and combine shapes on the surface. This indicates advanced visual-spatial planning and the emergence of symbolic systems long before the advent of writing.