Summary
A 35,000-year-old carved turtle sculpture, discovered deep in Manot Cave, Israel, may represent the earliest evidence of religious behavior in the Levant.
Found in a secluded chamber possibly used for rituals, the dolomite boulder was intentionally placed and shaped with flint tools, suggesting its use as a totem or spiritual figure.
Turtles hold symbolic significance in global mythologies, often representing longevity and strength.
The discovery highlights the ritual practices of prehistoric humans and adds to Manot Cave’s significance, already known for evidence of Neanderthal-human interbreeding.
When will archeologists just admit that sometimes we don’t know the purpose of things, and say so. Maybe somebody just liked carving turtles, surely not every fucking thing ever crafted in antiquity was religious.
Might I suggest Motel of the Mysteries? It’s about a future amateur archeologist excavating a modern day motel room and absolutely being 100% correct about everything he sees.