Almost 300,000 beads in one piece: archaeologists in Spain find ancient jewelry (photo)

Archaeologists excavating a 5,000-year-old burial site in southwestern Spain have discovered that the women buried at the site wore jewelry made of huge amounts of white beads that formed part of their ceremonial clothing. This discovery reveals new aspects of the social and cultural practices of the inhabitants of the Copper Age region.

The burial complex, built between 2900 and 2800 BC, contained thousands of beads arranged in specific patterns, indicating that these elements of jewelry were probably part of the clothing of women of high social status.

Excavations carried out in 2010-2011 revealed what is now considered the largest collection of beads found in a single burial in Valencina de la Concepción, a large archaeological area near Seville.

The study of the beads, in particular those found near the person known as the Ivory Lady, indicates the presence of a developed network of artisans and trade routes focused on marine resources.

Leonardo García Sanjuan, a leading researcher at the University of Seville, noted that these jewelry pieces, mostly made from sea shells, were used for special ceremonies rather than for everyday wear. Many of the shells have retained their pearly luster, indicating their ability to shimmer under the sun, creating a spectacular visual effect.

The scientists examined more than 270,000 beads, made mainly of sea shells but also of stone and bone, using radiocarbon analysis, morphometry, and experimental reconstructions.

The scale of production required to create these jewelry is impressive - the researchers estimate that the beads alone required a team of 10 people working for about seven months, not including the time to collect the raw materials.

The bulk of the beads were found in a spacious chamber containing the remains of 20 people, including 15 women. Another chamber, where two women were buried, also contained beads. Scientists believe that many of these beads were strung in rows to form tunics, skirts, or other garments. Martha Diaz-Guardamino of Durham University noted that the remnants of plant fibers in the holes of the beads indicate that they were strung on fabric.

García Sanjuan suggested that these colorful garments were probably important in public rituals, perhaps indicating the high social or religious status of their wearers. He is also interested in conducting further research to find out whether matriarchal structures existed in Valencian society during this period, when social division began to increase in Europe.

If you want to get the latest news about the war and events in Ukraine, subscribe to our Telegram channel!