It was built during the early days of our species’ existence, but a mysterious cave in the Middle East is still yielding secrets.

Researchers have discovered a mysterious turtle-shaped rock sculpture in Manot Cave in the Galilee region of northern Israel.

Measuring around 11 inches (20cm) and weighing 28 kg, the item has distinctive grooves akin to the natural markings on a turtle’s shell.

The experts think the object was carved more than 35,000 years ago, while the cave may be more than 55,000 years old.

Because turtles and tortoises have long been revered as important ‘cosmic symbols’, the experts think the small rocky structure was worshipped there.

Back in 2015, researchers helped identify a 55,000-year-old skull found in Manot Cave, which offered evidence that modern humans lived and even mated with Neanderthals.

Neanderthals were an early relative of humans which died out around 40,000 years ago, although their time on this planet did overlap with modern humans (homo sapiens).

It’s possible that Neanderthals already worshipped turtle figures as part of communal rituals before they died out and homo sapiens took over the practice.

A rock carved to look like a turtle was placed in a niche in the cavern. The carvings were done approximately 35-37,000 years ago

A study of the turtle sculpture has been led by researchers at University of Haifa in Israel and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Researchers say it dates back to 35,000 years, which means it would have been made by homo sapiens rather than Neanderthals.

‘It may have represented a totem or spiritual figure,’ said study author Omry Barzilai, head of the Material Culture PaleoLab at the University of Haifa.

‘Its special location, far from the daily activities near the cave entrance, suggests that it was an object of worship.’

Discovered in 2008, Manot Cave was used for thousands of years as a living space for both Neanderthals and humans at different times.

The prehistoric cave has spectacular speleothems – mineral deposits formed from groundwater within underground caverns – such as stalacтιтes and stalagmites.

A skull found at Manot Cave showed evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthal and homo sapiens, with characteristics of each clearly visible in the skull fragment.

The skull was found in the living space near the entrance, but researchers have now uncovered a large cavern much deeper in the cave.

Manot Cave is in the Galilee region of northern Israel. It is notable for the discovery of a skull of a modern human, called Manot 1, which is estimated to be around 55,000 years old

They say this secret space ‘in the deepest and darkest part’ of the cave was used as a gathering space, possibly for rituals that ‘enhanced social cohesion’.

The primitive turtle sculpture was originally carved out of a dolomite boulder and had been deliberately placed in a niche in the cavern.

The engraved boulder stood out for displaying key ‘geometric signs suggesting a unique representation of a tortoise’.

Analysis of the grooves’ cross-section and the discernible presence of tiny scratches on the grooves’ walls confirmed their human-made or ‘anthropogenic’ origin.

While the appearance of the sculpture could be open to interpretation, experts say the turtle or tortoise has historically been ‘a cosmic symbol in different cultures’.

‘In Mayan symbolism, the tortoise’s shell represents the earth,’ they say in their paper, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

‘Likewise, among indigenous peoples in North America, the world was thought to have been created on a turtle’s back.

‘Characterized by its distinctive body form and slow motion, the tortoise is seen as the embodiment of the entire cosmos, symbolizing perseverance, solidity, strength, and stability across space and time.’

Images from the paper show the sculpture annotated with digital lines. Note the ‘navicular’ boat-shape grooves

In 2015, researchers from Case Western Reserve helped identify a 55,000-year-old skull (pictured) found in the cave. It showed evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthal and homo sapiens, with characteristics of each clearly visible in the skull fragment

The cavern also has natural acoustics favorable for large gatherings, while evidence of wood ash on nearby stalagmites suggests prehistoric humans carried torches to light the chamber.

‘We evaluated its capacity to host a group of individuals, indications suggesting the potential use of artificial lighting during gatherings,’ the team add.

‘Acoustic tests conducted in various cave areas indicate that the ritual compound was well suited for communal gatherings, facilitating conversations, speeches and hearing.’

Overall, the new findings reveal more about the Manot Cave and its ancient inhabitants, according to the authors.

‘The Manot engraved boulder serves as a profound testament to the vibrancy of Paleolithic life and exemplifies the intricate mechanisms that early human societies developed to sustain social cohesion and expand social networks,’ they conclude.

WHY DID THE NEANDERTHALS DISAPPEAR?

It was commonly thought that Neanderthals died out because they were unable to compete with modern humans for food and resources.

But a 2014 study by the University of Oxford suggests that both groups co-existed for between 2,600 and 5,400 years and some interbreeding occurred.

Experts believe that Neanderthals ‘may have survived in dwindling pockets of Europe’ for several thousand years before becoming extinct, instead of being immediately replaced by modern humans.

We once lived among Neanderthals but around 40,000 years ago, they disappeared. Reasons for their demise vary, but experts have suggested interbreeding, climate change and violent clashes with humans may be to blame (stock image)

The study didn’t cover eastern regions such as Uzbekistan and Siberia, where Neanderthals are also known to have lived.

‘So it is still possible Neanderthals lingered later in some areas,’ said anthropologist Professor Chris Stringer.

‘Overall pattern seems clear – the Neanderthals had largely, and perhaps entirely, vanished from their known range by 39,000 years ago.’