Oldest Neolithic Piercing Jewelry Revealed in Türkiye

Archaeologists from Mardin Artuklu University in Türkiye have identified the oldest piercing jewelry known to date through meticulous excavation at the Boncuklu Tarla burial sites in the southeastern region. The Neolithic artifacts unearthed there include a distinctive collection of small rivet-like objects crafted from flint, copper, limestone, and obsidian. The researchers interpret these items as early forms of personal adornment worn on pierced skin, possibly in the ears and along the lower jaw, based on wear patterns and the placement within graves. This conclusion is drawn from careful examination of the graves and the objects themselves, with the team noting consistent wear marks on the jawbones of several skulls that align with the expected use of lip or jaw jewelry in the burial context. The study emphasizes that a total of 85 items in this jewelry-like collection were identified, representing a remarkable assemblage from a single site. These findings contribute to the growing understanding of Neolithic body modification practices and social signaling through adornment. The Boncuklu Tarla artifacts are dated using radiocarbon methods, placing five of the objects in a period between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago, which solidifies their status as the oldest known piercing accessories discovered to date. In comparison, similar discoveries in the territory of present-day Iran have yielded younger artifacts, around 6,400 years old, underscoring a potential regional variation in the emergence of piercing practices during the early Holocene. This chronology helps archaeologists trace the diffusion of cosmetic practices across early settled communities in Southwest Asia. The research team notes that these pierced adornments appear to have been worn by adults, implying initiation or rite-of-passage ceremonies associated with reaching a certain age in Neolithic societies. Such interpretations align with wider patterns observed in prehistoric burials where personal markings or jewelry signal social status, group affiliation, or coming-of-age milestones. These insights enrich our understanding of how ancient people used body modification to communicate identity and belonging within their communities. The Boncuklu Tarla findings also contribute to broader discussions about the technological and symbolic capabilities of early agrarian communities in Türkiye, highlighting long-standing traditions of material culture that predate other well-documented examples in the region. This discovery challenges researchers to rethink timelines of cosmetic practices and invites comparative studies with neighboring regions to map continuity and change in Neolithic adornment. The significance of this work lies not only in identifying the oldest pierced items but also in illustrating how such artifacts were integrated into burial rites and social structure. In the context of contemporary archaeology, these results provide a compelling narrative about ancient aesthetics, ritual life, and the ways people expressed identity through modified bodies. The researchers emphasize that future excavations at Boncuklu Tarla and surrounding sites could reveal additional items that further illuminate the origins and spread of lip and ear piercing in early human communities. The findings, while currently based on a single site, set a foundation for revisiting neighboring sites with renewed attention to delicate wear patterns and material choices in early adornment practices. The study, incorporating radiocarbon dating, material analysis, and careful contextual assessment, adds a valuable chapter to the broader story of early human self-expression in the Neolithic era. In sum, these artifacts mark a pivotal moment in the history of personal decoration, illustrating how ancient peoples used pierced jewelry to convey meaning, status, and social belonging in their communities. [Source: Archaeology Journal]