Ancient Clay Beads Hold Children’s Fingerprints

Archaeologists studied tiny clay ornaments made up to 15,000 years ago. The objects came from Natufian sites in what is now Israel. They were made before farming and pottery became common in the region.

The small beads and pendants still hold fingerprints from the people who shaped them. Researchers found about 50 prints from adults, children and teenagers.

The ornaments were made from clay and shaped into small discs, rings and other forms. Some looked like plants. A child's fingerprint makes the past feel close: long ago, young people were learning to make things with their hands, too, in daily life.