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A 12-year-old 'witch' skeleton was discovered in the Snail Cave in excavations by archaeologists from the Hebrew University

Next to the skeleton, the remains of 50 turtles, a tiger and a human leg were also discovered

snail cave Photo: The Hebrew University
snail cave Photo: The Hebrew University

Archaeologists from the Hebrew University found in the Snail Cave in the Galilee a 12 thousand year old skeleton of a woman who probably practiced shamanism (spiritual religious activity). Along with the skeleton, unusual offerings were also found in the tomb: 50 turtle shells, the hip bones of a tiger and a human foot. The shaman's tomb is the oldest and only shaman's tomb found in the entire Middle East region.

The tomb was discovered during excavations in the Lower Snail Cave in the Western Galilee. In the excavations, led by Dr. Lior Grossman from the Institute of Archeology at the Hebrew University, a Natufian cemetery from 12 thousand years ago was discovered.

Who is the buried woman?

The grave that was discovered is that of a 45-year-old woman whose bones indicate that she suffered from physical defects from birth and old age and that she suffered from pain. An examination of the skeleton also shows that the woman had a distorted appearance and that she was probably lame and her height did not exceed one and a half meters. The woman was buried lying on her side in an oval grave built of stones and mud.

Dr. Grossman and Prof. Anna Belfer-Cohen claim that the uniqueness of the burial and the efforts invested in the design of the tomb indicate that this is the tomb of a shaman who had a particularly high status in the community. The role of the shaman is a key role in society and his mission is to bridge between spiritual beings and an individual or society as a whole. Shamans were used during this period as messengers, healers and magicians. In many cases the shamans were buried together with items that testified to their spiritual powers, especially the connection with beings from the animal world from whom the shamans ask for help.

What are the offerings placed in the tomb?

In the grave were placed unique items that were not seen in other graves from this period and culture. In addition to 50 turtle shells, a tiger pelvic bone and a human foot, wild boar bones, a wild cow's tail and eagle wing bones were also found in the grave. The woman was covered with the tip of an eagle's wing, which has the most beautiful feathers, and with the furs of falcons whose skulls were found above the burial.

From the analysis of the bones made by the researcher Natalie Munro, it appears that the abdominal bones of the turtles found show that the turtle was decomposed during the burial and their parts were thrown into the grave as part of the ritual activity. Typical breakages of the pig bones placed under the woman's armpit indicate that the bone marrow was removed from them first. The human foot placed in the grave probably belonged to an adult man who was significantly larger than the buried woman.

What is the Natufian culture?

The Natufian culture existed at a time when human society began to move to a permanent settlement and produce food independently of occasional resources. This economic change and the increase in the size of the population required a new social organization that led to a cultural revolution. The Natopim left behind the first signs of this change in our regions.

In the cave 12 thousand years ago there was an extensive ritual activity that went beyond the Natufian routine. In addition, the location of the cave on top of a cliff and in the heart of the 'core area' of the Natufian culture testifies to the importance of the site and the importance of the burial. The woman was the first to be buried at the site and after her at least 27 other people were buried in the cave.

The article describing the discovery was published yesterday in the prestigious journal Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences.

59 תגובות

  1. Work on you
    There is a living bush of the type Larrea tridentata that is 11700 years old. There is no debate about this age.
    Oh... 11700 is much more than six thousand... It must not be clear to you.

  2. To 'Ebdo Aleichem' - the world has existed for a little less than five thousand years, twice a thousand and another time twice a thousand. (5 times ten to the ninth or 5,000,000,000).

  3. Work on you
    How do they know that she is twelve thousand years old if the world exists between 5 and 6 thousand?
    I know that determining the age of finds is a controversial theory.
    Even those who support it admit that, at the bottom line, this theory is not a certain determination.

  4. Archaeologists should be put in different rooms where the children were allowed to run wild wondering what conclusions they would reach

  5. The tiger killed the woman and apparently a man who killed the tiger and the tiger was dying took off the man's leg
    50 turtles you will know how they came maybe they ate turtles XP
    What's for sure! Not a witch's skeleton!
    Nonsense by someone with an imagination

  6. And everyone is invited to check who put the children in the debate system.
    Hint:
    Reply 38.
    incidentally. I currently have no other applicable solution but many times abandoning children to the mercy of their parents' education is simply a crime.

  7. Read, I read

    As long as the arguments and slanders are between us and ourselves, let's say, but when something brings our children into the system of arguments, it is already an act that he will not do.
    Everyone will educate their children in their own way - religious for religion, secular for secularism, and a special person for his uniqueness. Let's not presume to assume that our way in education is the way!
    The only thing we must insist on is that everything be done within the framework of the law.
    Precious boson you may have had good intentions but it doesn't smell good.
    And so you don't have any doubts, I would educate my children not to react disparagingly as I am impressed by your response.
    I am sure that Hugin's children are dear to her and she is doing her best for their education, in her own way.
    One thing is certain, they will turn out special children and not like the standard, you will agree with me that this is also something.
    And I'll end with the words of one of my great-granddaughters, my dear and beloved granddaughter, (two and a half years old) that if she heard you on the Higgs boson, she would say "You're not cute"!
    Good Day
    And come and keep proportions
    Sabdarmish Yehuda

  8. At the same time, there comes a moment when a person has to stand his ground in order to straighten out the distortions of his species, and now is the time, and I do all this. I represent it with scholarship, with great effort, but also with great challenge. And when people do not understand, one must ask concretely, or wait for things to What I represent is not recognized and I am also a stranger to it, when my personality is not recognized.

  9. Hugin
    If you are educating your children in the light of the nonsense and ignorance that you spread here as you mentioned in one of your comments as I imagine. After all, you are denying them the right to a correct view and a simple common sense of reality. Your words of vanity and wit are not good tools for dealing with the challenges in the future for a person who grew up in the technological western culture. Maybe suitable for the Inca or Maya period, but these have long since passed away.

  10. If not for jokes and to reduce the spirit of life. For what and for what do you live and study science?
    This will be considered by any sane/wise/honest person on the site.
    Hugin

  11. Higgs boson
    Your attitude only shames your reputation, the move is like a waste of your mouth. And overshadows every good thing.

    Vermin have no place in my world. / Harming my children will not be forgiven.

  12. Hugin
    "Sinful to the core"
    of ignorance, mental laziness and senseless chatter.
    Why do you have to react harshly and make an effort on meaningless nonsense devoid of reason and logic, anyone but you understands what you are talking about there. Whoever answers you answers just to play with you and provoke you into more jokes and lower your spirits. Who do you think your stuff interests him? Maybe on websites that talk about such nonsense. No one here has any idea what you are even doing on this site that is based on logic and real acquired knowledge. Knowledge that allows you to promote creating physical things. What can be created with your nonsense except more nonsense?

  13. think,

    Criticism is a legitimate thing. If I had to delete every personal insult in the talkbacks, there wouldn't be many messages left, including yours.

  14. and Roy
    I'm asking you, regarding Higgs... put the tongue of the scales honestly,
    Because he sins against the main principles and is distorted to my place - thereby causing my severe reactions.

    Hugin

  15. Hugin
    Quote "With learning, and with great effort" you teach your children ignorance and fatness and meaningless nonsense.
    Even nonsense probably requires effort

  16. Roy
    My words on the website, my words and my honesty in life. And I don't think there is a person alive who does not like me and knows that I am
    Brings peace and uplifts others. This is my lips, this is me.
    It's possible that the Internet niche in science is not recognized and I'm also a stranger to it, when no one recognizes my...varied personality.
    Along with that, there comes a moment when a person has to stand up for himself in order to straighten out distortions of his kind, and now is the time, and I do all this.
    I do not reject any integrity, which stems from reason and for constructive criticism, on the contrary, but there needs to be a more complete picture of the whole scope
    which I represent with erudition, with great effort, but also with great challenge. And when you don't understand what you say, you have to ask concretely, or wait for things to reach their intellectual maturity.
    However, humiliation of any kind is not acceptable to me.
    I didn't read that I addressed someone on the site with contempt and especially if they addressed honestly and honestly.
    Hugin

  17. Hugin,

    First, I'm glad you're getting your family members to read the site.

    Second, I thank you for the reference to the messages in the article. I did not pay proper attention to the last messages in this article, and some of them do deserve to be deleted. It's a shame that you relegate this mention to personal lines, because to remind you - I have already deleted messages that were harshly against you.

    And for your question,
    When I told you to grow up, I meant it in all simplicity. Mature people aim at a certain goal and work to reach it. Immature people are also goal oriented, but fail to act towards it effectively.
    You have already said enough times that you want to witness and educate all of us. This is indeed a noble goal, but notice what you have created on the site: an atmosphere of impatience towards you, anger and even loathing. You use high-high language on purpose, patronize the site, start arguments and encourage fights. Your messages are so long that it is almost impossible to read them, and certainly not to witness them. In short, you fail in achieving your goal big time. Isn't it time for a change?

    When I asked you to grow up, I hoped that you would think for yourself about your goal and the ways to achieve it, and see where you fall on the way. Instead of doing so, you chose to be offended and use cynicism and sarcasm, and it's a shame. I hope that my words - said bluntly, for lack of other choice, but honestly - will make you rethink your goal and how it can be achieved.

    good week,

    Roy.

  18. Roy Tsenza
    My children study at school. My husband/their father/thinks they learn from good people…
    Response 20/27/32, that apparently, there was no place to censor them - because, for your exalted...honest consideration..
    And the honest - as a very mature teacher of science for the younger generation, shows - where your honesty blows.
    Today I showed my husband..who my children study in the schools. who are the honorable representatives who are the ministers..science
    for the younger generation.
    How many surfers are there on this site???
    What does this reality reflect??
    Hugin, grow up, you said..and I'm asking you for who and what.
    I don't have children to be destitute to anyone, and the "educated" who distort my good, and sublime place like this. direct-and real.
    The time has come for you to check your considerations as well..and where they are tilted in the swing of the scales of justice.

  19. Hugin the black-bearded toad
    the truth to reveal the reality that everyone denies. "The king is naked!"
    Kahnat On Kamutat Karinim

  20. To 32
    He looked in his mirror and reflected his photo.

    And the one outside.. and from you she is on and on.. an eternal child of the sky. innocent/noble and nice.. to the very, very.. all light precious grace and grace.. from the heart of every soul.

  21. generation:
    The things I said have content but since you have no content to respond to them you are dragged into blasphemy.
    They messed up with you.
    Continue to believe that the rabbit and the rabbit chew the cud, that a sparrow is equal to three, that a cow's trachea splits into three parts, one of which reaches the liver, that lice are created from human sweat and that mice are created from mold and leave me alone.

  22. point:
    I did not say that in every book everything must be interpreted on the same level, but a book that claims to be true should actually be written in such a way that it does not require interpretations.
    A minimum requirement from such a number is that the word day should represent the same thing everywhere.
    The same goes for the word year, for the words rabbit and rabbit and for the words yes and no.
    If you choose to interpret it in a certain way - I have the right to interpret it differently. In any case, a book that requires interpretations is not a book that describes the truth.
    I understand that the truth is not of interest to you because otherwise you would not be dragged into the slanders that you know are devoid of any foundation.
    I guess I've read a lot more literature than you do and I've done more general thought than you do all your days.

  23. What's new:
    Why did you suddenly decide to talk about the language?
    Do you think I don't know Hebrew?
    I don't want to speak Arabic because this language is not familiar to me.
    Language may reflect culture but does not determine culture. I have no doubt that it is possible to maintain a western culture with an Arabic language, but, as mentioned, what is important and what is relevant?
    Do you want me to ask you if you want to trade a car or a house?
    Did you not even understand what I said?
    If you didn't understand - maybe you want us to switch to a language you understand?

  24. To dear Michael.
    I do not come to provoke a debate, but only to explain things that I received from my Lord, so I will not respond to your slanderous words towards our holy books. Your response only proves that you do not have content and claims.
    And about the language.
    It is simple and clear that there are things in this world that are beyond human understanding. One of these things is the essence of "divinity" (call it that or by another name, "energies" etc...). We can only perceive, understand and describe things that are grasped by the senses. Therefore, there is a concept in the sages called "Torah speaking in human language". That is why we find the stories of the Bible written in the way that they are written, but as I have already emphasized above, it is only to break the ear. This is how we are accepted by the Sages, that the "act of Genesis" is generally the innermost and most hidden mysteries of the Torah, and the story of creation described in the book of Genesis is written in a very obscure way ("And God said let there be light, and there was light" I know a light that comes from the sun, not another light! What is this "Let there be light" at all? And this is the way. The things were written to give us some sort of idea, even the faintest, and even that with great difficulty, that there is a creator and a leader for the capital).

  25. DK: May your fumbling blindness mix with your stinking opal. You are the furthest creature from any truth on earth.
    Your dreams will be like the farts of your deformity.-And like your rotten shadow.-Like a sharp blade will cut you.Measure against measure!

  26. Michael,
    Your perception is fundamentally wrong, and it also shows that you are not engaged in matters of literature and general thought.
    It is not correct to say that in a certain book or story everything must be interpreted on the same level.

  27. I have nothing to say except that finally dk (any relation to the monkey in Nintendo?) had the truth to reveal the reality that everyone is denying. "The king is naked!"

  28. Roy
    He spared the cruel, his end may be cruel to the merciful-the guardians of his spirit/as the soul of his nose../and if all...

  29. A witch will not be resurrected to preach about the eternal holiness of Israel and her holy name.

  30. What's new,

    As a result of spam, there are certain words that result in the response automatically having to wait for approval. Your response probably contained them. Anyway, I confirmed the message and sorry for the delay.

  31. to the site management,
    I respect all cultures including Jewish and Arab.
    So why is my comment waiting for approval?

  32. For all the catalogs for her.
    All of you, every tear will not flow when your day comes.

  33. Michael,

    Language reflects culture to a large extent.
    All Arabs in the Middle East more or less have the same culture.
    She would like us to speak Arabic and live in an oriental culture.

  34. What's new:
    I really don't care what language we speak as long as we keep the meaning of the words and don't start "interpreting" them just because you see that what is written is nonsense.
    When you see nonsense written, you should say that it is nonsense and not decide that from now on - just so that the nonsense seems true, the word night will be used as a substitute for the word day.
    What is not clear here?

  35. Michael,
    Regarding the last comment, I absolutely agree with you.

    "To reinvent the Hebrew language just so that the nonsense written in the holy books doesn't seem so nonsense."

    What language would you like us to speak in the State of Israel, perhaps Arabic?

  36. generation:
    I know, of course, this evasive claim.
    Of course, I will also be allowed to claim that the years of Methuselah's life were not years, that the rabbit is not a rabbit, and in general, to reinvent the Hebrew language just so that the nonsense written in the holy books will not appear so nonsense.
    Of course, on that occasion they also say that the person who wrote the things was quite an idiot because he did not know how to express himself in an understandable way, but it is clear to everyone that this whole approach is nothing but evasion of reality and the reality is that the Holy Scriptures are not holy at all.

  37. Hugin:
    You talk nonsense but I have no strength because a fool can throw a stone into the water that a hundred wise men could not remove and you are constantly throwing stones and I am only one.

  38. Lador,
    "It is very possible that there were other creatures before man, but an intelligent man who knows his creator and can investigate God's works in the world was created 5769 years ago."
    Where was that intelligent person created? Is he the only one? Indians, aborigines, Chinese and Japanese are not intelligent people?

  39. To Michael.

    There is no problem adding another 6 days.
    But this does not contradict the findings that the age of the world is millions of years, since the creation story written in the book of Genesis is closed and sealed, and cannot be understood based on the simplification (so that "six days" are not necessarily our 6 days). Moreover, the concept of "creation " is a concept that is quite impossible to really define (!!!), because man is a creature and not a creator, and man can only describe things based on his concepts (such as Ezekiel and Isaiah, who saw "miracles of God" and described it based on human concepts , just to break the ear).
    Judaism is concerned with man and the "divine interest" (as defined by Rihel) in man. That is why our minyan begins with the creation of man, because that is what is relevant to us (take, for example, the historian who studies the development of art. He will divide the history according to periods of art, and put the artistic interest at the center of his timeline. We count according to human years because man is the center of our timeline). It is very possible that there were other creatures before man, but an intelligent man who knows his creator and can investigate God's works in the world was created before 5769 years.

  40. Michael
    You have no idea how happy I am that on August 19, 8 I registered at the Ministry of the Interior in Tel Aviv
    Ours as an addition to my name (symbolically - as a magician and white) the name "Mika-Michaala", because if one, like you, bearing the name "Mi-Kaal" would continue like this, as you express yourself here, as a metaphor for everything sacred to the people of Y.S.R. A. L. who is committed by his word (word = creative thought) to the nations of the world in light and not in darkness. We would actually enter a third world war.
    We all have enough of wars!! And peace and enlightened peace stands and depends on the essence of the heart of the people of Israel, which gathers within it all the genes of the peoples of the world (believe it or not, this is a fact!!!) There is no need to be a religious fanatic for the purpose of that knowledge. Open and valuable!!!! They all bear names, genes, rest of spirit, hidden and revealed potentials, sons of mother and father, grandparents and children of vast eternal dynasties. There is no name in the entire world that does not have value and purpose. There is no detail in the entire world that does not have an overall and all-purpose meaning . As tools/items/inventions/patents/objects/and everything in the vast nature/and innocence.
    Your words indicate a tireless dedication to Kitrog!!! You are a shadow over the heart of science, which after all and above all has its lofty goal: research and knowledge!!!! and blessed questions!!

    Hugin: For those who seek wisdom and true freedom only!!!

  41. Hugin:
    No aspect should be underestimated, but one must know how to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
    "Knowledge" of false claims is not helpful at all and can even be harmful.

    generation:
    And what is the problem with adding six more days to the number of Judaism from the creation of man to get the number of Judaism from the creation of the world?

  42. Some additions and clarifications for expansion and thought:
    A. Regarding the addition mentioned by Shay the archaeologist. According to all the currents of the theosophical teachings and their splits (Anthroposophy, the New Acropolis, and other orders of research into the internal-esoteric teachings. It is about the legendary fall of Atlantis 12-11 thousand years ago. From which the continent "Poseidon" remained. From there they split and wandered (on the roads "strangeness" and worth an informed reference, even in this matter (to Egypt, to the eastern region (Light-Chassidim, Sumerian culture, etc.. as many are found in much fiction) and there, since they were considered "sublime" to understand according to their actions, Meram, and the white and black magic in it They used, as the way of their relatively developed intelligence, at that time, they were considered "gods", some of them used their powers for the purposes of controlling the "ignorant" among them...and without understanding the matter and from here began a legendary and historical chain/saga
    Long.
    All Greek mythology is also taken from Homer's visit to Egypt (see books on this subject).
    I am "lazy" to expand on the rest...but I gave a hint to those interested in researching the matter and the contexts.
    Valdor: There is a lot in your word. And the person who is engaged today in trying to create artificial intelligence and robots is no different from that "act of creation of man" by the "gods" - which is the plural - "the God".. For anyone who understands simple Hebrew., and like the act of "The Golem from Prague" known in fiction..
    And for those who know the wisdom and secret of the Torah - and the rest of the "Bible" all matters of worlds are "before".
    How and what and how are used for the benefit of the whole in all the educations of their kind, this is already his person concerning values/basic morals/maturity in using it for the personal right and for the purpose of everything.
    So, as a principle, anyone who underestimates knowledge, and it doesn't matter what it is: underestimates the essence itself - its fulfillment - and really, really
    Despising his spirit - as the soul of his nose - and his eternity (in any potential form .. according to the hour of the supreme will - those who conduct everything according to the laws of the universe-nature / sky / water / wise)
    All the characteristics discussed here: do not rule out the theory of evolution, which in simple Hebrew means: "development" that unfolds and intertwines in many ways of issues/forms/ and currents of different and divided understandings by the various currents and according to the degree of their informed perceptions or failures, or lacking knowledge of the entire scope of aspects. And all the approaches can be mediated.
    Therefore, blessed are those who are thirsty to learn. Really, and who do not underestimate any aspect, even if we hear "sucked" from somewhere.
    Hugin

  43. To "Psalms against missiles" to Sabdarmish

    Small error correction. The Bible does not say anywhere what the age of the world is. We also do not know what the age of the world is.
    If you look at the book of the Khazari, the first article, paragraph 5769, you will see that the minyan of Judaism (XNUMX years to be exact) is not from the creation of the world but from the creation of man.

  44. Fascinating findings, it is hard to believe that such a large and exotic investment in burial is not significant and indeed that manism is a real possibility. It is interesting to note that there are many ethnographic parallels where the TRIBE/BAND shaman is also the leader of the tribe.
    - In the magazine BAR that came out in Ahona, there is an article about the temple that will be discovered, which was considered the oldest in the world 12,000 years ago. Is this a coincidence or was the transition period between the Natopian and Neolithic periods saturated with spiritual awakening and the desire to connect with higher beings
    - It is a shame that the article does not mention and there are no photographs or illustrations of the types of mycoliths found in the layer in question

  45. to anti-missile psalms
    You don't know how much science you don't know, but neither do you?
    According to the Tanach the world has existed for about 5700 years and not as you wrote.
    Good night
    Sabdarmish Yehuda

  46. Apparently your knowledge of the Tanakh and the sacred Psalms is also poor and shaky..so keep studying.
    And don't stick unnecessary weapons in the place. Want peace for a change.

  47. Nonsense - according to the Bible, the world only existed for about 5200 years.
    This article is a fiction of the infidels

  48. The historical gray cell/Michael.

    Fascinating! And kudos to the findings of the Hebrew University. (I love you - even from afar.)

    And regarding the historical Galilee in general and my family in fact, we are indeed the foundations of the country from 107 years ago.
    The founders of Beit-Gan, Tel-Yosef... and more and more.. So to my cheek. I am all proud of my blessed and dear lineage.

    Everything is related to everything related... to a multi-purpose and wonderful relationship, magic.. and even "sacred.. and bewitched..

    Hugin: The innocent one, from the never-ending story.

  49. And you have the spring from which Hogin, etc. draw their visions.
    There is no doubt: the connection of the Jews to the land began long after Hugin's real connection to the depositors of her heritage lying in the caves of the Galilee.
    She has rights in this country!!!

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