The earliest known ceramic adornments: technological insights from 10,000-year-old beads at Nanzhuangtou Site, China

The creation of artificial materials marks a pivotal technological advance in human history. However, evidence for the earliest use of such materials for symbolic purposes remains exceptionally scarce. This study reports the discovery of two tubular ceramic beads from the Nanzhuangtou site in North China, dated to approximately 10,000 calendar years before present. Through a multi-analytical approach including X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, we demonstrate that these beads were manufactured from locally sourced clay, formed around a plant stem to create a hollow structure, and fired at low temperatures (500–600°C). Morphological analysis further reveals distinctive wear patterns consistent with stringing and use as personal ornaments. These beads represent the earliest known ornaments made from an artificial material, predating other known examples by millennia. This discovery provides crucial empirical evidence for the application of nascent pottery technology for symbolic expression during the critical Paleolithic-Neolithic transition.