Scientists exploring a deep cavern in Galilee, Israel, have discovered evidence that ancient humans used the location to worship a symbolic object seemingly representing a turtle god more than 35,000 years ago.
In a release announcing the unusual discovery, the prominently placed “touchstone” found within the cavern “is an engraved rock, deliberately placed in a niche in the cavern, with a turtle-shell design carved into its surface.” The researchers say that this three-dimensional representation of a turtle “is contemporaneous with some of the oldest cave paintings in France.”
turtle god
An engraved rock with a carved symbolic turtle god was placed in a niche in the ritual space (Credit: Case Western Reserve University).
The culmination of over a decade of excavations by archaeologists at the site, the team says this discovery represents the oldest example of ritualistic group behavior on the Asian continent. The research also offers rare insight into the spiritual thoughts and behaviors of archaic human societies from this period.
Location of Turtle God Statue Suggest an Object of Worship
In their published study, the research team noted that the cavern’s deep, dark location far from the domestic areas of the enclosure, which were all near the entrance, indicated it was a special location and not part of the inhabitants’ everyday activities. This also suggests that the turtle god object carefully placed within the cavern was similarly significant.
“Its special location, far from the daily activities near the cave entrance, suggests that it was an object of worship,” explained team leader Omry Barzilai, Head of Material Culture PaleoLab at the University of Haifa and the Israel Antiquities Authority. “It may have represented a totem or spiritual figure.”
turtle god
Turtle god totem found in deep cavern far away from common living spaces
During their excavations, the researchers found evidence of wood ash on some of the stalactites hanging from the cave’s ceiling. They believe the presence of ash suggests the cave was lit with torches. The team also tested the cave for its acoustic properties. According to the release, these efforts found that the cave has “natural acoustics favorable for large gatherings.”
While none of the evidence is conclusive, the team says evidence suggests that the cavern was a ritual space far from the living space where ancient humans gathered to perform rituals or other activities around a centralized turtle god figure.
“The current study suggests that the Upper Paleolithic Aurignacian inhabitants of Manot Cave engaged in communal activities centered around a symbolic object located in the deep, dark part of the cave,” they write.
Expertise from an Unlikely Source
First discovered in 2008, Manot Cave has been undergoing formal excavations for over a decade. While archaeologists have headed the effort, experts from a broad range of scientific disciplines have also participated. For example, one team member, Linda Spurlock, is a physical anthropologist at Kent State University whose expertise involves recreating a face on a skull using clay to represent the missing organic tissue.
Still, perhaps the most unexpected contribution comes from Case Western Reserve University’s (CWRU) School of Dental Medicine students. For over a decade, that organization has been funding research at the cave and sending a contingent of 10-20 students to work at the excavation site every summer.
“Most people would not suspect that a dental school would be involved in an archaeological excavation,” said Mark Hans, professor and chair of orthodontics at the dental school. “But one of the things that are preserved very well in ancient skeletons are teeth because they are harder than bone.”
turtle god
(G) Stalagmites within the cave. Note a row of speleothems at the bottom of the western talus, separating the gallery from the rest of the cave. Numbers (1, 2, 3) denote the main locations of groups of stalagmites. Credit: Case Western Reserve University.
The professor explained that dental students are also skilled at telling the difference between bone and rock. This skill can be useful at a site like Manot Cave.
“As an orthodontist, I am interested in human facial growth and development, which, it turns out, is exactly what is needed to identify anthropological specimens,” the professor explained. He says there is even a “whole field” of dental anthropology specializing in this type of research.
The dental students’ contribution started with the efforts of the school’s previous dean, Jerold Goldberg. In 2012, Goldberg committed $20,000 annually for 10 years to CWRU’s Institute for the Science of Origins specifically so dental students could share and learn across scientific disciplines. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon by training, Goldberg says he provided the long-term commitment and money “because I wanted people to understand the breadth and intellectual interest that dental schools have.”
Discovering the “Intricate Mechanisms” of Early Human Societies
In the published study outlining the team’s findings, the researchers note the significance of discovering an object of worship from over 35,000 years ago, which predates any similar object found on the Asian continent.
neanderthals
They also indicate the significance of the discovery in a broader context, writing that “The Manot engraved boulder serves as a profound testament to the vibrancy of Paleolithic life and exemplifies the intricate mechanisms that early human societies developed to sustain social cohesion and expand social networks.”
In their conclusion, the researchers once again note that a significant benefit of working on such a complex and collaborative effort like the excavation at Mant cave that discovered the turtle god statue is the ability to work with people from such a broad range of expertise. According to Hans, this collaborative aspect was among the most rewarding of the ten-year Case Western University commitment.
“One of the things I liked most about working on this excavation was how much we learned from the other researchers,” Hans said. “Everyone has a narrow focus, like mammals, uranium-dating, hearths, and we all came together and shared our knowledge.”
“We learned a lot over 10 years,” the professor added.
The study “Early Human Collective Practices and Symbolism in the Early Upper Paleolithic of Southwest Asia” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him onX,learn about his books atplainfiction.com, or email him directly atchristopher@thedebrief.org.