Ostrich eggshell beads are common on archaeological sites of the last few thousand years in southern Africa. It is generally thought that the indigenous hunter-gatherers made these and occasionally traded them to Iron Age herders and farmers. But beads on hunter-gatherers' sites in Botswana are shown to be smaller than beads found on herders and farmers' sites. This suggests that herders and farmers may have made their own ostrich eggshell beads. In cases where identification is uncertain, bead sizes may now help distinguish a site occupants' culture and economy.
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