Discovery in South Africa Suggests Knowledge of Geometric Principles 60,000 Years Ago

Discovery in South Africa Suggests Knowledge of Geometric Principles 60,000 Years Ago

The oldest known geometric patterns were discovered on ostrich eggshells in South Africa and Namibia. Repeated line and pattern decorations were found on 60,000-year-old ostrich eggshell fragments from the South African sites of Diepkloof and Klipdrift (and also partly in Namibia at Apollo 11). A recent study using geometric and statistical analysis has shown that nearly 80% of these patterns exhibit clear spatial regularities, such as recurring angles close to 90° and parallel lines. According to a study published in the journal PLOS, such engravings were until recently considered merely examples of symbolic behavior. However, new research suggests that the patterns created by Homo sapiens followed strict structural rules and were not random markings. Researchers identified four types of mental operations used by prehistoric engravers: repetition, rotation, translation, and embedding of figures. Mathematical analyses revealed that 83% of the lines are perfectly parallel and every third angle is a right angle—with a margin of error of only 7 degrees. According to the researchers, these engravings reflect advanced cognitive processes that may have formed early foundations for mathematics and writing. They also indicate that the design principles remained unchanged for approximately 5,000 years. https://www.archaeologie-online.de/nachrichten/frueher-homo-sapiens-im-outback-afrikas-4951/ The Oldest Geometries of Humanity Found in Southern Africa, Engraved on Ostrich Eggs More Than 60,000 Years Ago, Done Age Archaeology