The discovery of stone jewelry beads excavated from a tomb in Boncuklu Tarla, Southern Turkey, has revealed insights into the craftsmanship and adornment practices of ancient humans, according to a group of archaeologists.

Personal jewelry items, including earrings and bracelets, have been dated to the middle or late Stone Age of humans in the Asian region, with a dating of approximately 12,000 years ago.

Researchers note that this is the first time ancient human jewelry pieces from the Stone Age have been found in Southwest Asia with direct evidence related to human adornments.

Other artifacts dating back to the early Stone Age have been found, but their function was previously speculative. “This suggests burial practices with accompanying objects were already established in the early Stone Age,” commented Dusan Boric, Associate Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Boncuklu Tarla is a renowned site in Turkey, with numerous artifacts dating back to around 10,300 to 7,100 years BCE having been discovered. Currently, the entire population in the area has been relocated to facilitate excavation work.