More than 60,000 years ago, early humans in southern Africa were carving patterns onto ostrich eggshells—and new research shows these designs were far more sophisticated than previously believed.
A study led by researchers from the University of Bologna has found that the engravings follow clear geometric rules, suggesting that ancient Homo sapiens already had advanced ways of thinking about shapes, patterns, and space.
Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of these engraved eggshell fragments at sites in South Africa and Namibia.
The shells likely came from eggs used as water containers, making them valuable everyday objects for people living in dry environments. While scientists have known about the engravings for years, they were often assumed to be simple decorations or random markings.
The new study, published in the journal PLOS One, analyzed 112 fragments from three major archaeological sites: Diepkloof and Klipdrift in South Africa, and Apollo 11 in Namibia.
Using detailed geometric and statistical methods never before applied to these artifacts, the researchers reconstructed the lines and patterns carved into the shells.
They discovered that more than 80 percent of the designs followed consistent spatial rules. Many patterns used parallel lines, right angles close to 90 degrees, and repeating shapes.
Some of the most complex examples included cross-hatched bands, grid-like structures, and diamond patterns. These designs required careful planning, including rotating shapes, repeating them at regular intervals, and fitting multiple levels of pattern into a limited space.
According to the researchers, this level of organization shows that the engravers were not simply doodling. Instead, they likely had a mental plan of the final design before they began carving. The patterns suggest a kind of early “visual grammar,” a structured way of organizing images using rules—similar to how language uses grammar to organize words.
The findings offer important clues about the evolution of human intelligence. The ability to create ordered patterns based on abstract principles is considered a key step in the development of symbolic thinking, which eventually led to art, mathematics, and writing systems. The study suggests that these cognitive abilities were already present in Homo sapiens tens of thousands of years earlier than once thought.
Researchers say the engravings demonstrate that early humans could think beyond immediate practical needs and engage in creative expression guided by rules and planning. This ability to transform simple lines into complex designs is a deeply human trait that has shaped cultures throughout history.
Although the exact meaning of the patterns remains unknown, the study highlights their importance as evidence of early abstract thought. These humble eggshell fragments, once used to carry water, may represent some of the earliest examples of humanity’s capacity to organize the world through symbols and geometry.
In revealing the hidden logic behind these ancient carvings, the research paints a new picture of our ancestors—not just as survivors in a harsh landscape, but as thinkers capable of planning, creativity, and surprisingly sophisticated reasoning long before the dawn of civilization.
