The Ain Sakhri Lovers

Filed under: Natufian Culture - 24 Sep 2012  | Spread the word !

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The Ain Sakhri lovers is one of the most well-known discoveries surfacing from the Natufian culture. It is also, probably, the oldest depiction of a couple having sex, that has been found so far. The small sculpture, which can be seen today in the British Museum, London, is made out of stone and it is 102 mm high. Presumably, the statuette was created in 9000 BC and was discovered in the Ain Sakhri caves, whose name it bares, in Wadi Khareitoun, near Bethlehem. 

In 1933, the figurine of the two lovers was identified by Pene Neuville, a prehistorian and French consul, while he was looking through the findings of the French Fathers of Bethlehem, in a small museum. Getting to the caves, with the help of the Bedouin who found that statuette, was the next move. Excavation and researches started immediately on the location. The searches demonstrated that the caves were inhabited by a Natufian community.

The Ain Sakhri lovers is a symbol of the Natufian culture and of the arts of those times. Although it is very small and it lacks detailed structures, it is considered to be one of the most inspired findings of this kind, due to the fact that it is cleverly carved. The sexual image of the sculpture has been often associated with other elements, such as male and female reproductive organs. Either way, it is a witty combination that showcases human passion in multiple ways. Fertility and love are the main symbols associated with this Natufian culture representation.


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Natufian Sites

Filed under: Uncategorized - 25 Apr 2012  | Spread the word !

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The Natufian civilization has been in the constant attention of the public since the discovery of the first sites bearing the remains of these people. A certain degree of fascination for the past was always in the interest of all scientists and researchers and the information they have brought to the public captured the attention of the entire world. This is the same case for the Natufian culture. The main reason for the high degree of interest in the concern of the Natufian is related to the fact that numerous sites have been discovered. From the locations and the regions in which the Natufian sites appeared, it is obvious that this was a very intriguing and exotic population. Some of these sites are closed and are submitted to constant research, while others have been opened for public visitation.

On the spread of Syria, researchers found several sites on which the remains of the Natufian surfaced. The first site is Tell Abu Hureyra, to be found in the Euphrates valley. The second one is Mureybet, also located on the valley to the north. The last site in Syria is located in a Damascus suburb and it is called Yabrud III. The sites for the Natufian culture to be seen in Israel are a lot more in number and in the spread around the country. These are the following: Ain Mallaha (Eynan), Ein Gev, Nahal Oren, Kfar HaHoresh, El-Wad, Hayonim Cave and Salibiya I. On the West Bank in the Palestinian territory, people can find the Jericho and the Shuqba Cave sites. Several other locations are to be found in Lebanon, such as: Jeita III, Borj Barajne, Jabal es Saaide and Aamiq II. Lastly, another site of the Natufian remains can be found in Jordan and is called Beidha.

All the Natufian sites have shown numerous discoveries and have surfaced amazing results for the world of research on the past populations and cultures that once inhabited the world. The Natufian culture is very fascinating for people around the world, who come to these areas to see the sites and to learn more about the past.

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The Natufian People and Dogs

Filed under: Uncategorized - 06 Dec 2011  | Spread the word !

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The Natufian civilization is one of the oldest cultures who ever lived on this planet. Dating back to 12.500 B.C., the Natufians lived in the Levant region of the Eastern Mediterranean lands. Nowadays, there are only few traces of the Natufian culture, which you can see mostly in the Middle East, in countries like Israel and Turkey. There are many things that scientists discovered about the Natufian people, and many things that are still unknown. A particularly interesting fact about the Natufian culture refers to animals and their domestication. The evidence found by explorers are proof that even thousands of years ago, people and animals were co-existing.

Among those pieces of archaeological evidence, the most relevant ones are the remains of an elderly Natufian male, who was buried together with a puppy. The puppy is thought to have been about 5 months old at the time of death, which shows that the Natufian people were taking care of dogs even since they were just puppies. The remains were found in Israel, at a Natufian site called Ain Mallaha. Then, another Natufian site revealed the remains of humans, who were burried with two dogs. This proves that the Natufian people were the first humans to ever domesticate dogs and to manage to live with them, without getting hurt. Even if the Natufian people had a sedentary lifestyle, the fact that they were co-existing with dogs shows that they were animal lovers.

No one can tell for sure if they were keeping dogs as pets or if they were using them for different purposes, but one thing is for sure. Humans and dogs have lived together since the beginning of time, and the Natufian culture is the best proof of that. Nowadays, dogs are considered the best pets to have around the house, and they are even called ‘a man’s best friend’. Who knows, maybe the Natufian people had the same feeling about them. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that dogs have lived together with the Natufian people, co-exiting in harmony.

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The Natufian Culture

Filed under: Uncategorized - 25 Oct 2011  | Spread the word !

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Archaeologists have made some great discoveries throughout the years, so they made it possible for us to learn more and more things about the ancient cultures and about how people used to live ages ago. So meet the Natufian culture, one of the most fascinating cultures of all times. Apparently, the Natufian people lived in the Mediterranean region of Levant, more precisely an undefined geographic region defining a large part of the Middle East. The feature that sets the Natufian culture apart from other ones is that it was a sedentary, or semi-sedentary culture.

While they were part of the Mesolithic culture, the Natufian people are thought to be the ancestors of the people who built the first human settlements from the Neolithic times. The Natufian people developed in tandem with the early Kebaran, from 12.500 to 9.500 BC. Although there are no clear pieces of evidence, the Natufian people may have been the first ones to cultivate cereals, to hunt wild animals and to domesticate them as well. In the archaeological Natufian sites were found evidences of domesticating the dog, as the remains of an old man and a 4-5 months old puppy were found buried together. The name ‘Natufian’ was chosen by Dorothy Garrod, the one who studied the Shuwba cave, in Wadi an-Natuf, where she discovered the human fossils of five Natufian people.

It is true that as researchers keep on discovering new things, the conception about the Natufian culture may change significantly. However, it seems that there is no other culture that was even remotely developed as the Natufian one, in those times, in the whole Middle East. The Natufian culture is the ‘godmother’ of agriculture, as scarce evidence show that the Natufian people were cultivating barley and what. If you want to visit Natufian archaeological sites, you can find them in Jericho (West Bank), Mount Carmel (Israel), Kebara Cave (Israel), and Gobekli Tepe (Turkey). There is no doubt that the Natufian culture is a fascinating one, which can teach us many things about our ancestors.

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Who Are The Natufians?

Filed under: Uncategorized - 27 Sep 2011  | Spread the word !

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The Natufians were ancient people from Mesolithic. They are considered one of our first ancestors. The Natufian people lived in the Eastern Mediterranean. Some scientist believe that the Natufian community was the ancestor of the Neolithic settlements. Natufian community was sedentary and semi-sedentary until agriculture began to develop. The Natufian people ate cereals, meat, mainly gazelle. They are known for the blades they used to hunt. They also carved bones to make the hooks for fishing and harpoons. Remains of the Natufian settlements were found in Syro-Arabian desert, Israel. The change of the climate, determined the Natufian to begin agriculture, so this is how the first objects used for this purpose came out.

In the Natufian settlements were found dogs, so it is believed that they were the first who domesticated this animal. Bones represent an important part of their culture, creating real pieces of art. It is amazing that even from those old times, our ancestors felt the need to improve their homes. It is curious they had a taste for what is beautiful and they conceived nice objects. The Natufian origin is still debated because there are no certain clues for this.

Archaeologists found people buried with two dogs, so it seems they were very important for the Natufians. The Ain Sakhri lovers are in fact a carved stone representing a couple having sex. It is the oldest object about sex and it comes from the Natufian people. There are different opinions about the language they spoke. Some say that is connected with the Eurasian, while others say is African. There are different opinions, but more proofs and studies will reveal the mystery that lies behind all these. It is interesting they managed to do so many things with so poor and rudimentary means. The Natufian culture was based on bones, but the language they spoke is still a mystery. They are also considered the founders of the Neolithic people. Many questions are a difficult challenge for archaeologists and scientists, but maybe with time, they will make a great discovery. In case you are interested in old civilization, the Natufian culture is an interesting subject to read about.

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Natufian Art

Filed under: Uncategorized - 09 Mar 2011  | Spread the word !

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Whether you are doing research for a school project or you have a personal interest in art, one culture that is responsible for creating art that many people find fascinating is the Natufian. The first feature found throughout this art is that it portrays things in a very natural manner. Another interesting note about the art produced by this culture is that while many people assume ancient cultures were very savage, this type of art shows that the Natufian were actually quite sensitive towards animals.

Another aspect of this art is that it demonstrates that the people within this culture were aware of the fact that they had an individual identity. It also shows that they placed a lot of importance on their interactions with other people in their group. From the areas where art and other decorative elements were found, it can be seen that this culture placed a lot of importance on the recognition of those who passed away.

What’s neat about many of these pieces is that while they look quite nice, there are still signs of the person who did the work. For example, close inspection of a piece of stone Natufian art that depicts a human head shows where the creator used his chisel to slowly transform the stone into the shape that he wanted. In addition to recognizing those who passed, art also played an important role within the social structure of this society. The pieces of art that one possessed could signify their status within the group. It’s interesting to think about how this is surprisingly similar to our own modern society!

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Natufian Culture

Filed under: Uncategorized - 12 Jul 2010  | Spread the word !

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The Natufian people lived in the periods 12,500 BC to 9,500 BC in the Eastern Mediterranean region. It’s thought that the Natufian people descended from the earliest in the New Stone Age, and that they are some of the first descendants.

What They Ate

The Natufian culture included an industry that was composed of short blades and bladelets. It was in the Natufian culture that sickle blades were first seen. With their blades, the Natufian people would hunt animals such as deer, aurochs, and wild boar, but gazelle was the Natufian’s main meat of choice. The Natufian people were also extensive fisherman, using bones to carve things such as hooks and fishing blades. Stones and bones were also used for creative purposes, and were turned into beautiful pieces of art.

Things such as legumes, almonds, acorns, and pistachios were also used as a form of sustenance for the Natufian culture. There was also plenty of wild cereal in the area, which the Natufians undoubtedly took great advantage of.

The Origin of Agriculture

The Natufian culture has also been greatly attributed with first developing agriculture. Until the Younger Dryas event, which was a drought that swept through the region, the Natufians didn’t have any form of agriculture, but relied on the wild cereals. Once the drought came however, the wild cereal dried up. In order to still be able to eat the grain, the Natufian people cleared land and planted seeds, the first signs of agriculture in the world.

Language

It’s difficult to pinpoint just what language exactly the Natufian people spoke, but it’s believed that it had either African or Eurasian influences. Scholars highly debate this point but it is thought that either Proto-Afroasiatic or Afroasiatic Urheimat languages were spoken.

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Natufian: The Almost Forgotten Pioneers of Civilization

Filed under: Uncategorized - 09 Jan 2010  | Spread the word !

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Today’s great civilizations are descendants of earlier group of people with primitive ways of life but are practicing cooperation and are pioneering the use of primitive tools and means of living. When text books speak of early civilization, they often tell stories of Mesopotamia, China, India, and the Nile people. But the Natufians, which also pioneered the use of early tools and practice primitive agriculture, are often left on the sideline.

In fact, some historians and archeologists believe that the Natufians seeded the Neolithic civilization. They were the first to practice agriculture by harvesting wild cereals at the time. There are also evidences that when hunting is slow, the Natufians do practice very primitive agriculture by spreading cereal seeds on the ground. Although in general, the Natufian people are pretty laid-back and sedentary. The Natufian people also pioneered early tools like the sickle for harvesting cereal, mortars, grinding stones, and storage pits.

Some archeologists also found relics and tools that cannot be found locally in the area. The findings suggest that the Natufians also traded or bartered tools and other materials with other civilization at the time. The Natufian civilization flourished in what are today the modern Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. It’s been assumed that the Natufian population reached six to seven times more than early Neolithic communities.

The next time you encounter discussions of early civilizations, surprise people by telling them the story of the Natufians. It’s a good way to let people know about one pioneer of civilization that seems to be forgotten with time.

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The Natufian Era

Filed under: Uncategorized - 04 Aug 2009  | Spread the word !

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Many people overlook the Natufian era of people because they are so laid back and simplistic. The Natufian people were really only some of the early people to actually use some of the agricultural techniques that we still use today in the modern world. Many of the people that have worked in archeology in the area where the Natufians existed have found very rare artifacts nearly perfectly preserved that tell very advanced stories. Many people who have worked in these areas uncover a vast system of knowledge about these early peoples. They are some of the only early humans to have not been disturbed for thousands of years. Many of the Natufians were hunter gatherers and eventually became farmers who tended the land and grew their own food during times that were bad for hunting. It is important to remember that people who learned to grow their own food are pretty advanced, even if they were laid back.

It is believed that many of the Natufians were involved in trade with other peoples from different areas. Many of the Natufian artifacts were actually made of materials that are not available where the Natufians made their home. This fact alone means that they either traveled in search of different resources or that they came into contact with other people quite regularly. This allows scientists and archeologists to contemplate on how simple the Natufian people really were. The straight answer is that they were actually quite advanced for their time and yet their thinking may have been very high even for today’s standards, they simply were in an environment that did not really help them to advance themselves further. There are little known places that actually provided many of the early people a chance to really advance past a certain point such as the Natufians.

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The Great Natufian People

Filed under: Uncategorized - 14 Jul 2009  | Spread the word !

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The Natufians are some of the most overlooked people in human culture to date. They were laid back people and lived a somewhat simplistic and sedentary lifestyle. It is believed that they may have even been the inventors of the agricultural process as land became dryer and more of their native grains and wild cereals were nearing endangerment that these Natufians started clearing brush and artificially planting seeds found elsewhere. They are also the first people to use a sickle type tool to harvest their crops and make use of time saving harvesting practices.

The Natufians are the earliest example of canine domestications taking wild dogs and turning them into useful companions to protect and patrol land. People have been found buried with pet canines in areas where the Natufians lived. This is the earliest known people to have used dogs in a domesticated manner. The Natufian people also practiced many of the burial practices we practice today with the grouping of family members in grave sites and covering the graves in a matter to help preserve bodies. A priestess was found buried with 50 tortoise shells that must have been brought from a different area which leads to the belief that they were specially used in a feast for her funeral.

Tools and weapons that the Natufians used were somewhat primitive but effective. Trade between other people was evident as tools made of materials such as obsidian were found in the area, although obsidian is not naturally occurring in the area. Shellfish from the Nile valley have also been found as well as malachite beads that cannot be pinpointed in origin. This means that the Natufian people must have been relatively peaceful and family oriented but possibly disappeared due to the fact that they had such primitive tools and possibly loss of food sources being hunter gatherers.

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