TY - JOUR
T1 - Sequins from the sea
T2 - Nautilus shell bead technology at Makpan, Alor Island, Indonesia
AU - Langley, Michelle C.
AU - Kealy, Shimona
AU - Mahirta,
AU - O'connor, Sue
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s).
PY - 2023/8/15
Y1 - 2023/8/15
N2 - One defining characteristic of Homo sapiens is the production and use of personal ornamentation. Evidence from Africa and western Eurasia has dominated discussion, but a growing number of finds directs attention towards Island Southeast Asia. In this article, the authors report on an assemblage of Nautilus shell beads from the Indonesian cave site of Makpan, Alor Island. The highly standardised forms, mostly with two perforations, and evidence of use wear, indicate that these beads were utilised as appliqués. Dating to the terminal Pleistocene, these beads appear to form part of a wider tradition also attested on Timor and Kisar, suggesting an early inter-island network across southern Wallacea.
AB - One defining characteristic of Homo sapiens is the production and use of personal ornamentation. Evidence from Africa and western Eurasia has dominated discussion, but a growing number of finds directs attention towards Island Southeast Asia. In this article, the authors report on an assemblage of Nautilus shell beads from the Indonesian cave site of Makpan, Alor Island. The highly standardised forms, mostly with two perforations, and evidence of use wear, indicate that these beads were utilised as appliqués. Dating to the terminal Pleistocene, these beads appear to form part of a wider tradition also attested on Timor and Kisar, suggesting an early inter-island network across southern Wallacea.
KW - Island Southeast Asia
KW - late Pleistocene
KW - marine shell
KW - ochre
KW - personal ornamentation
KW - use wear analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169319177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15184/aqy.2023.97
DO - 10.15184/aqy.2023.97
M3 - Article
SN - 0003-598X
VL - 97
SP - 810
EP - 828
JO - Antiquity
JF - Antiquity
IS - 394
ER -