Archaeological study of ostrich eggshell beads collected from SDG site

PhysOrg Mobile (as in PDA) ^ | Sunday, December 6, 2009 | Gao Xing et al

[SunkenCiv]

Ostrich eggshell (OES) beads from SDG site reflect primordial art and a kind of symbolic behavior of modern humans. Two different manufacturing pathways are usually used in the manufacture of OES beads in Upper Paleolithic. Pathway 1 is identified from these collections; blanks are drilled prior to being trimmed to rough discs. Based on stratigraphic data and OSL dating, these ostrich eggshell beads are probably in Early Holocene (? 10 ka BP)...

According to previous observation and study systems of Western scholars and the specific characters of OES beads from SDG site, this study found that the two pathways of manufacture used in SDG site differed in the order of the drilling and trimming stages. The SDG site predominantly shows blanks drilled before trimming – Pathway 1. Blanks trimmed to circular discs prior to drilling constitute Pathway 2. Pathway 1 comprises four activities falling into eight manufacturing stages as follows: 'blank preparation' (Stages I and II), 'drilling' (Stages III and IV), 'trimming' (Stages V and VI), 'grinding' (Stages VII and VIII).

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	I admit it -- I have no idea what "SDG" is. Anyway, some years ago a researcher of the Harappan culture (Indus Valley) painstakingly studied the ancient beadmaking of the Harappan cities and was able to identify the specific techniques used in each place; this allowed him to trace prehistoric trade routes (they're still prehistoric until the Indus Valley script is read) which sprawled all over lower and central Asia and into the Middle East. SDG is probably in Africa, BTW. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[rdl6989]

I admit it -- I have no idea what "SDG" is.

I'm in good company then.

[JoeProBono]

[ApplegateRanch]

At first I thought Southern Darfur Gharb, but looking at Joe’s picture, the quality control reminds me more of China.

Considering it’s eggshells, maybe Sum Dim Gorge?

[JoeProBono]

Ostrich Eggshell Beads Turkana, Samburu, Ovambo tribes. east Africa.

[SunkenCiv]

I still don’t know. The articles online were just duplicates of the original press release, and I never found a hot link to a dictionary def of SDG. A general search didn’t turn up anything. Based on the other stuff discussed, I think it’s Africa. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

SDG sounds like a brand of cassette tape to me.

[colorado tanker]

The acronym finder says one definition is “slightly decayed granite.” Who knows? I think Africa too.

[ApplegateRanch]

See Joe’s number 5. Not sure where Joe got the tribal names for this, but they are in an area from the Rift Valley area of Kenya, to Namibia.

Rift Valley = Sum Dim Gorge, which is almost as good as gorging on dim sum.

Come on, Joe: out with it! Where’d you get the tie of SDG to those tribes?

From my primary interest in geology/mineralogy. I would have gone with Silicaceous Decomposed Granite.

[JoeProBono]

OK OK

[ApplegateRanch]

LOL! Found the beads picture on that page, but that still leaves us all dimly floundering around on the Dark Continent as to what/where “SDG” is.

Hope no Rift has opened, nor has anyone’s gorge been raised, but rather that our apatite has been whetted to mine this for real paydirt.

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

“Some D- Geography”?

[AdmSmith]

SDG = Shuidonggou

You only have to read the Chinese version of the article
http://219.238.6.200/article?code=972009-1390&jccode=97 ;-)

More info:
The Shuidonggou Site is located near Shuidonggou in Lingwu County, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

The Shuidonggou Site is one of the earliest sites found in China belonging to the Paleolithic Age. In 1920, a Belgium priest discovered the skull of a wooly rhinoceros and well-preserved quartzite stoneware east of Shuidonggou. Repeat excavations and research since the 1960s have identified Shuidonggou Site as a site of the late Paleolithic Age dating back some 400,000 years.

Over 10,000 pieces of stoneware were discovered at the site, mainly made of silicon rock, quartzite, sandstone and firestone. Most of the items were processed from stone flakes or long, flat stones, and made into scraping implements.

Also discovered at the site were bone awls made of animal bone flakes. The ornaments found at the site were made of ostrich eggshells with polished edges. Fire pits were also discovered at the site.

http://www.luopan.com/t/en_US/750000L000025.html

[AdmSmith]

A map and more interesting info http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ase/112/1/112_83/_html

[SunkenCiv]

> You only have to read the Chinese version of the article

Geez, why didn’t I think of that... ;’)

So, interesting, ostriches in China. Imagine what foreign travellers back then whispered about the restaurants...