The 12,000-year-old skeleton of a witch doctor found with 49 tortoise shells, a leopard femur, a cow tail and and eagle's wing
Archeologists digging in northern Israel have discovered the 12,000-year-old skeleton of what they say was a witch doctor.
They said the skeleton was that of a deformed woman of around 45 years of age from the Natufian culture, which ranged from Syria to the Sinai peninsula at the time.
Leore Grosman, in charge of the excavation in the Galilee, said the bones were found in a carefully-carved oval grave with the skull resting on a tortoise shell.
The skeleton was covered by several large stones, which may been placed there to keep the witch doctor's spirit entombed.
An additional 49 tortoise shells were found in the grave, along with a leopard pelvis, a cow tail and part of an eagle wing.
A pestle and mortar used to grind ingredients for potions were also discovered, Grosman said, adding that the find cast an unprecedented light on the Natufian people and their transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers.
'It points out that there are special people with special positions in the society,' she said. 'We imagined it was so but we didn't have real proof for that until now.'
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They said the skeleton was that of a deformed woman of around 45 years of age from the Natufian culture, which ranged from Syria to the Sinai peninsula at the time.
Leore Grosman, in charge of the excavation in the Galilee, said the bones were found in a carefully-carved oval grave with the skull resting on a tortoise shell.
The skeleton was covered by several large stones, which may been placed there to keep the witch doctor's spirit entombed.
An additional 49 tortoise shells were found in the grave, along with a leopard pelvis, a cow tail and part of an eagle wing.
A pestle and mortar used to grind ingredients for potions were also discovered, Grosman said, adding that the find cast an unprecedented light on the Natufian people and their transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers.
'It points out that there are special people with special positions in the society,' she said. 'We imagined it was so but we didn't have real proof for that until now.'