Mysterious turtle statue is discovered in the Holy Land cave after 35,000 years – and archaeologists think people may have WORSHIPED it

It was built during the early days of our species’ existence, but a mysterious cave in the Middle East is still yielding secrets.

Researchers have discovered a mysterious turtle-shaped rock sculpture in the Manot Cave in the Galilee region of northern Israel.

The item measures approximately 20cm in size and weighs 28kg and has distinctive grooves that resemble the natural markings on a turtle’s shell.

The experts believe the object was carved more than 35,000 years ago, while the cave may be more than 55,000 years old.

Because turtles and tortoises have long been revered as important “cosmic symbols,” experts believe the small rocky structure was worshiped there.

In 2015, researchers helped identify a 55,000-year-old skull found in Manot Cave, which provided evidence that modern humans lived and even mated with Neanderthals.

Neanderthals were an early relative of humans, going extinct about 40,000 years ago, although their time on this planet overlapped with that of modern humans (homo sapiens).

It is possible that Neanderthals already worshiped turtle figures as part of communal rituals before they became extinct and Homo sapiens took over the practice.

A rock that looked like a turtle was placed in a niche in the cave. The carvings were made about 35-37,000 years ago

The Manot Cave was discovered in 2008. Researchers have uncovered more secrets of the cave during more than a decade of excavations

A study into the turtle statue was led by researchers from the University of Haifa in Israel and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Researchers say it is 35,000 years old, meaning it could have been made by Homo sapiens rather than Neanderthals.

“It could have been a totem or spiritual figure,” says study author Omry Barzilai, head of the Material Culture PaleoLab at the University of Haifa.

‘Its special location, far away from daily activities at the entrance to the cave, suggests that it was an object of worship.’

Discovered in 2008, Manot Cave was used as a living space for thousands of years for both Neanderthals and humans at different times.

The prehistoric cave has spectacular speleothems – mineral deposits formed from groundwater in underground caverns – such as stalactites and stalagmites.

A skull found in Manot Cave showed signs of interbreeding between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens, with the features of each clearly visible in the skull fragment.

The skull was found in the living area near the entrance, but researchers have now uncovered a large cave much deeper in the cave.

The statue, made from a dolomite block, has distinctive markings that resemble those on a turtle’s shell

The prehistoric cave has spectacular speleothems – mineral deposits formed from groundwater in underground caverns – such as stalactites

The Manot Cave is located in the Galilee region of northern Israel. It is notable for the discovery of a skull of a modern human, named Manot 1, estimated to be about 55,000 years old.

They say that this secret space “in the deepest and darkest part” of the cave was used as a gathering space, possibly for rituals that “improved social cohesion.”

The primitive turtle statue was originally carved from a dolomite stone and deliberately placed in a niche in the cave.

The engraved boulder was notable for displaying significant “geometric marks that suggest a unique representation of a turtle.”

Analysis of the cross-section of the grooves and the observable presence of small scratches on the walls of the grooves confirmed their man-made or ‘anthropogenic’ origin.

While the sculpture’s appearance could be open to interpretation, experts say the turtle has historically been “a cosmic symbol across cultures.”

“In Mayan symbolism, the turtle shell represents the earth,” they say in their article, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Similarly, among the indigenous peoples of North America, it was believed that the world was created on the back of a turtle.

‘Characterized by its distinctive body shape and slow motion, the turtle is seen as the embodiment of the entire cosmos, symbolizing perseverance, solidity, strength and stability in space and time.’

Images of the paper show the image annotated with digital lines. Note the ‘boat-shaped’ grooves in the shape of a boat

In 2015, researchers from Case Western Reserve helped identify a 55,000-year-old skull (pictured) found in the cave. It showed evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens, with the features of each clearly visible in the skull fragment

The cave also has natural acoustics favorable for large gatherings, while evidence of wood ash on nearby stalagmites suggests that prehistoric people carried torches to illuminate the room.

“We evaluated the capacity to accommodate a group of individuals, indicating the possible use of artificial lighting during gatherings,” the team adds.

‘Acoustic tests conducted in several caves indicate that the ritual complex was well suited for communal gatherings, facilitating conversations, speeches and hearings.’

Overall, the new findings reveal more about Manot Cave and its ancient inhabitants, the authors said.

“The Manot engraved boulder serves as profound evidence of the vibrancy of Paleolithic life and exemplifies the intricate mechanisms that early human societies developed to maintain social cohesion and expand social networks,” they conclude.

WHY DID THE NEANDERT LANGUAGES DISAPPEAR?

It was commonly thought that Neanderthals became extinct because they could not compete with modern humans for food and resources.

But a 2014 University of Oxford study found that both groups coexisted for between 2,600 and 5,400 years and that some interbreeding occurred.

Experts believe that Neanderthals “may have survived for thousands of years in shrinking parts of Europe” before becoming extinct, rather than being immediately replaced by modern humans.

We once lived among Neanderthals, but they disappeared about 40,000 years ago. The reasons for their demise vary, but experts have suggested that interbreeding, climate change and violent collisions with humans may be the cause (stock image)

The study did not cover eastern regions such as Uzbekistan and Siberia, where Neanderthals are also known to have lived.

“So it is still possible that Neanderthals settled in some areas later,” says anthropologist Professor Chris Stringer.

‘The general pattern seems clear: Neanderthals had largely, and perhaps completely, disappeared from their known range by 39,000 years ago.’