NEOLITHIC STONE BRACELET-
Capsian Tradition Neolithic
Sahara Desert, North Africa
8,000-3,500 years ago.
10 cm across
This Neolithic bracelet was found on an exposed African Neolithic site in the Sahara Desert in Mali, Northwest Africa. Along with other artifacts, such as pottery shards, animal bones, and other artifacts that can be readily dated to that time period. In the final Pleistocene and early Holocene Periods around 10,000 years ago, the Sahara was believed to be a highly favorable environment for hunters, gatherers and pastoralists. Freshwater lakes existed between the dunes in what is now the Tenere region, Lake Chad was eight times its current size, the highlands supported Mediterranean forest trees, and a large fauna of animals flourished. The slow drying out process of the Sahara, began 7,000 years ago and ended 4500 years ago resulting in the barren conditions that exist to this day.
