Archaeologists have uncovered what may be one of the world’s oldest human burial sites, dating back around 100,000 years. The remains of five early humans—two complete skeletons and three skulls—were found deliberately arranged in burial pits deep inside Tinshemet Cave in central Israel.
Researchers said the site provides rare and compelling evidence of organized funerary behavior during the Middle Paleolithic period, offering new insight into the early origins of ritual, custom, and possibly belief.
Why It Matters
The discovery significantly extends the timeline for intentional human burial, a behavior long viewed as a marker of symbolic thinking and social complexity. The careful positioning of bodies, combined with the presence of pigments and objects that served no practical function, suggests that early Homo sapiens may have developed ritual customs earlier than previously confirmed.
What to Know
Tinshemet Cave, excavated over the past decade, has revealed the remains of at least five individuals—Homo sapiens and Neanderthal-like hominins—each carefully laid to rest in shallow pits, curled in fetal positions and surrounded by hundreds of ceremonial objects. The consistent placement of the bodies suggests intentional burial, according to Yossi Zaidner, one of the site’s excavation directors and a professor of archaeology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Early Discoveries
Some of the most significant discoveries from Tinshemet Cave were published in March in Nature Human Behavior. Researchers identified the remains as early humans: two full skeletons and three isolated skulls, along with additional bones and teeth.
They also documented over 500 fragments of red and orange ocher, each produced by heating iron-rich stones—a process thought to reflect early humans’ capacity for symbolic or decorative creation. “Here we see a really complex set of behaviors, not related to just food and surviving,” Zaidner told The Associated Press.
Excavation ‘Nails Down’ Dates
Tinshemet Cave is exceptionally important to archaeologists because the local climate preserved the bones, tools, and ornaments in good condition—unlike many other parts of the world where such items have been lost to time.
Christian Tryon, a professor at the University of Connecticut and a research associate at the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution who was not involved in the study, said, “There were so many uncertainties with those sites, but this is confirming it’s a pattern we know, and they’re really nailing down the dates.”
Archaeologists said it will take many more years to fully excavate the site. Using hand chisels and pen-sized pneumatic drills resembling dental tools, researchers are proceeding with extreme care to protect the fragile finds.
What People Are Saying
Yossi Zaidner, an archaeologist and excavation co-director: “The skeletons were located in pits and arranged in a fetal position, recognized as a burial position.”
Christian Tryon, a professor at the University of Connecticut: “There were so many uncertainties with those sites, but this is confirming it’s a pattern we know, and they’re really nailing down the dates.”
What Happens Next
With much of Tinshemet Cave still unexcavated, archaeologists expect many more years of fieldwork. As new discoveries emerge, researchers hope to deepen their understanding of how and when early humans began treating death with ritual, symbolism, and meaning.
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