Carved turtle found in Galilee cave may have been worshipped 35,000 years before Christianity

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/09/carved-cave-turtle-worshipped-35000-years-pre-christianity/

34 comments

  1. ***The Telegraph reports:***

    The “cosmic turtle”, which holds countries, or even the entire world on its back, appears in creation myths across the globe.

    Now, a mysterious turtle rock sculpture, discovered deep in a [remote cave in Israel](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/3382395/Israeli-archaeologists-unearth-12000-year-old-shaman-skeleton.html), suggests the worship of the creature may date back at least 35,000 years.

    It was known that Manot Cave in Galilee was used for thousands of years by [both Neanderthals and humans](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/10/31/interbreeding-humans-may-have-caused-neanderthals-die-natural/), but it was thought its inhabitants kept close to the cave mouth, where evidence of animal butchery and flint knapping had been found.

    Now experts have discovered a large gallery in the deepest, darkest part of the cave, which may have been used as a gathering area for rituals.

    At the heart of the cavern, placed prominently in a niche, was a three-dimensional turtle or tortoise shell sculpture, carved from a dolomite boulder, which appears to have been the focal point of the sacred room.

    “It may have represented a totem or spiritual figure,” said Omry Barzilai, head of Material Culture PaleoLab at the University of Haifa and the Israel Antiquities Authority, who led the team.

    “Its special location, far from the daily activities near the cave entrance, suggests that it was an object of worship.”

    The deep part of the cave consists of a lofty chamber with a huge dome-like ceiling which provides natural acoustics favourable for large gatherings.

    There is evidence of wood ash on nearby stalagmites suggesting prehistoric humans carried torches to light the chamber.

    **Read more:** [**https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/09/carved-cave-turtle-worshipped-35000-years-pre-christianity/**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/09/carved-cave-turtle-worshipped-35000-years-pre-christianity/)

  3. The turtle has returned after an extremely long time! Just as the prophecy said!

  9. See the TURTLE of enormous girth! On his shell he holds the earth. His thought is slow but always kind; he holds us all within his mind. On his back all vows are made; he sees the truth buy mayn’t aid. He loves the land and loves the sea, and even loves a child like me.”

  11. *Literally anything found we don’t explicitly know was used as a tool*

    “ah yes the primitive bastards surely worshipped it as a god”

  13. that’s what big turtle want you to believe, wake up, the true god is a sea otter

  14. If this is true it’s kinda cool to think that humans have always tried to figure out the “why” behind our own existence

  17. Turtle carved on rock so it must have been worshipped? 30000 years from now will some archaeologists find some graffiti we left and assume we worshipped a large spray painted phallus?

  21. We could all be living in a turtles dream in outer space!

  22. I have to feel that the world would be a better place today if our ancestors had kept the old faith. I can’t imagine any religious crusades declared on behalf of a turtle.

  27. Hear me out. Maybe we need to start worshipping it again because when we stopped that’s where it all started going wrong….

  29. . what if a family are all holding each other in their last moments and the kids holding a toy.  35000 years later: see they were all holding in their last moments that totem. it must be the God they worshiped. 

    basically they assume it’s important since it’s not in the kitchen, but what if a kid wanted a turtle and the turtle got away, so the father made a rock turtle?

  30. Someone 35,000 years ago: Thanks Grog, this turtle sculpture really ties the room together. I will display it in my best niche.

    Anthropologists today: This guy worships turtles.

  32. We served the Avatar before the War for Souls was waged. We remember the War at the Walls of Ba Sing Se.

  33. Why do they even mention Christianity? There were certainly other faiths that even predate that, literally even in that region. Its so ridiculous it gets this elevated position. It’s 2025. Adults really need to stop having imaginary friends.

Comments are closed.