MP Gallery - Markings, Signs, Graphemes; q) blombos70engsciex

Blombos Cave, Stillbay, Layer CC, TL 77,000 BP, OSL 70,000; 9 pieces of ochre potentially engraved with geometric signs; 2 engraved with iterative strokes and/or 'X' s or 'crosshatch' within 3 parallel lines ('tri-line') (Henshilwood et al 2002)

2 engraved ochre peices shown below. a)"SAM-AA 8937 is a flat piece of shale-like ochre that grades into silt on the reverse side: weight 39.2 g; maximum length 53.6 mm; breadth 42.6 mm, depth 11.7 mm"; b) "tracing of lines verified as engraved by study undere magnitication"; c) SAM-AA 89838 is a rectangular slab of ochreous shale: weight 116.6 g; maximum length 75.8 mm; breadth 34.8 mm…oblique lighting of specimen accentuates both engraved lines and irregularities of the surface, some created by grinding before the engraving and others by the process of engraving;" d) tracing of lines verified as engraved by study under magnification, superimposed on flatbed scan of engraved surface" (Henshilwood et al 2002).

Comment (James Harrod): As 'X' s or 'crosshatch' and ('tri-line') are characteristic of the Upper Paleolithic geometric sign system, this engraving from Blombos appears to represent incipient UP symbolism. It could signify 'multiplying abundance in all three spirit worlds, upper, middle and lower, and manifesting between them'.

Photo © Henshilwood et al. Henshilwood, C. S., d'Errico, F., Yates, R., Jacobs, Z., Tribolo, C., Duller, G. A. T., Mercier, N., Sealy, J. C., Valladas, H., Watts, I., and A. G. White. 2002. Emergence of modern human behavior: Middle Stone Age engravings from South Africa. Sicencexpress, Report, www.sciencexpress.org/10 January 2002/Page 1/10.1126/science.1067575. Figure 2.