Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
Sep 7, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Scientist working in a cave in northern Israel have come across a site where they have found remains of a 12000 year old feast. Initially the scientists had speculated that they were looking at a large campsite due to the number of animal bones and tools discovered. Their assumptions soon changed when they realized that it could be burial site.

The site contained bones of aurochs and tortoise shells that were almost intact. Some of the tortoise shells were also burned which indicated that the animals were used as food and not as sacrifice. The scientists investigating the cave were curious to get an insight into the two small depressions in one part of the cave which they thought was too small for inhabitance. They found the bones which were from the butchered remains of the giant cattle, auroch and also the tortoise shells. The researchers revealed that the people of the era must have needed great time and effort to gather such a large number of cattle and tortoises in one area.

The site has uncovered human remains from a period known as the Natufian phase. As many as 28 skeletons have been discovered in the area. Among some of the buried remains, three adult bodies were found which one was buried along with the fetus. Among them was also a woman who was buried with a number of animal body parts that included the wingtip of an eagle and the pelvis of a leopard. This led to the evidence that the woman might have been of some importance in the community and thus she was ceremoniously cremated. This led to the theory of the feast and the idea that this could have been a burial site.