The discovery was made in a cave near the tourist center of Essaouira, in the region of Bizmoune (southwest) and consists of 30 shells perforated and colored with a red substance based on iron oxide, said research professor at the National Institute of Archaeological Sciences Abdel Jalil Buzouggar.

The pieces found include 30 necklaces and bracelets which are between 142,000 and 150,000 years old and are considered to be the oldest pieces of jewelry found so far, he pointed out.

However, they might have not been used as corporal adornment, but it is probable that they were used as a form of communication, affirmed the specialist although he abstained from explaining how.

He recalled that Morocco is one of the places in the world where the presence of homo sapiens was identified around 315,000 years ago in the Jebel Irhoud region, by a discovery made in 1960.

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