In Nahal Hemar Cave in the Judas Desert, skulls of people who lived 9,000 years ago are covered with asphalt and decorated.
The Judas Desert serves as a unique time capsule for archaeologists: thanks to the arid conditions that prevail here, caves can preserve ancient artifacts made of organic materials that would rot and disappear under normal conditions.
Nahal Hemar Cave is an example of a cave where magnificent finds were uncovered in this desert. The cave was discovered in 1983 by David Alon and Eid Al-Tori and investigated by David Alon and Ofer Bar-Yosef of the Israel Antiquities Department.
Among the various findings uncovered in the cave are human bones, including skulls dating back to the 7th millennium BC.
Unexpected asphalt remains were found in six skulls dating back nearly 9,000 years, and three of them were well preserved to this day to allow for examination.
It looks like a thin layer of asphalt has been rubbed on the back of these skulls. Then, the material rolled between hands, fine asphalt ropes were prepared, and they were applied to the first layer to create the appearance of a mesh – perhaps even a hat.
A study of similar findings found that treatments and designs on the skulls of older people were common in the 7th millennium BC: This tradition probably dates back to Natufian culture.
Researchers believe the tradition probably stemmed from the ancestral cult to reinforce the sense of belonging to a large family unit. In agricultural societies, where population density was increasing, family ties largely determined each individual’s place and economic situation in society.
Therefore, the protection and marking of the skulls and objects belonging to the ‘founding generation’ constituted a sign of belonging and status.
Other objects associated with this tradition were masks – two of them were found in the same cave in Nahal Hemar, and they were discovered in different regions.
Plastered skulls and masks dated to this early period point to a broad social phenomenon that reflects the local religious culture.
A 9,000-year-old skull smeared with asphalt is on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
İsrael Antiquities Authority. 19 Ocak 2022.
