Sitting in the courtyard of the African Heritage Research Institute pondering the dainty snail shells in my hand, I consider what they might have represented to the Blombos people.

• 我坐在非洲遗产研究所的院子里，心里琢磨手掌上小巧精美的介螺壳，我在想它们在布隆伯斯人眼中，究竟可能代表什麽。