37,000 Years Old Middle Eastern Religion Discovered

One of the oldest religious symbols from the Levant area has been discovered by researchers in Israel.

New research has found a turtle might be the oldest religious symbol to be worshiped by a society in the Middle East.

In Manot Cave in Western Galilee, Israel, researchers have found evidence of human spiritual rituals dating back 37,000 years.

Over 35,000 years before Jesus Christ, as many as 100 individuals gathered in the Manot Cave to gather around a carving of a tortoise shell in a boulder.

Although it’s unclear exactly what the tortoise symbolised to this community of early humans, the ancient Middle Easterners are believed to have revered the creature. At prominent individual’s graves from the Stone Age period, tortoise shells regularly appear.

There’s evidence that humans had frequented the Manot Cave since at least 50,000 years ago. This new research comes from the discovery of a “ritual compound” within the cave.

It’s believed the tortoise shell engraving in the cave was done by a deer antler also found there. The researchers were able to date a mineral layer on the antler to a similar time as the engraving, suggesting it might have been used as the carving tool.