A cache of ostrich eggshell fragments discovered by
archaeologists in South Africa could be instrumental in
understanding how humans approached art and symbolism as early
as the Stone Age. The eggshells, engraved with geometric
designs, may indicate the existence of a symbolic communication
system around 60,000 years ago among African hunter-gatherers
[Discovery News]. At a site known as the Diepkloof Rock Shelter,
a team led by archaeologist Pierre-Jean Texier discovered
fragments of 25 ostrich eggs that date back 55,000 to 65,000
years. In an online paper published in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, the archeologists revealed that
the eggshell fragments were etched with several kinds of motifs,
including parallel lines with cross-hatches and repetitive non-
parallel lines [ScienceNow]. The scientists are confident that
the markings are almost certainly a form of messaging — of
graphic communication [BBC]. Further study of the fragments
revealed that a hole had been drilled at the top of