Israel: Archaeologists Discover 4,000-Year-Old Rock Art
- Updated Mar 06, 2017
Israeli archaeologists have discovered rock art on the inside of an ancient tomb-like structure constructed from large rocks.
CBN News reports that the rock art inside the dolmen--a kind of megalithic tomb constructed from huge rocks--contains the first ancient rock art ever documented in the Middle East. The rock art is thought to be around 4,000 years old and was found inside the dolmen near Kibbutz Shamir in upper Galilee. It was discovered by a team of archaeologists from Tel Hai College, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Israel Antiquities Authority.
"What makes this dolmen so unique is its huge dimensions, the structure surrounding it and most importantly the artistic decorations engraved in its ceiling," stated archaeologist and professor Gonen Sharon, in an article published in the scientific journal PLOS One.
The rock art consisted of about 15 engravings spread “in a kind of ark” on the ceiling of the dolmen.
"No parallels exist for these shapes in the engraved rock drawings of the Middle East, and their significance remains a mystery," added Sharon.
The team of archaeologists and scientists used technology to study the engravings.
"The three-dimensional scan enabled us to identify engravings that otherwise could not be seen with the naked eye," said laboratory director Professor Lior Grossman.
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: March 6, 2017
