Israel Uncovers 100,000-Year-Old Human Burial Site

Recent archaeological discoveries at Tinshemet Cave in central Israel have revealed some of the oldest known human burial sites, dating back around 100,000 to 110,000 years. The remains of five early humans were found carefully arranged in fetal positions within pits, accompanied by objects such as basalt pebbles, animal remains, and fragments of ochre, which likely served ritualistic purposes and indicate early symbolic thinking and spiritual beliefs. These findings, published in Nature Human Behaviour, suggest that formal burial customs and complex cognitive behaviors emerged much earlier than previously believed. The cave is considered one of the most important sites for studying human evolution and behavior during the Middle Paleolithic era. Complementing this, a separate discovery in southwestern China uncovered 300,000-year-old wooden tools associated with plant harvesting, revealing that early humans had sophisticated knowledge of their environment and subsisted on a diverse diet including plants, not just meat. Together, these findings reshape our understanding of early human culture, spirituality, and survival strategies across different regions and time periods.