The oldest human masksCarved out of limestone from the Judean Hills around 9,000 years ago in the ea
The oldest human masksCarved out of limestone from the Judean Hills around 9,000 years ago in the early Neolithic, these somewhat eerie masks are the oldest known carved human faces. Archaeological evidence suggests that those who carved them were amongst the first to switch from nomadic to sedentary living as the earliest stages of the so called Neolithic revolution. One of them has the remains of pigment on its surface implying that they were brightly painted and some of them feature holes on the sides, suggesting that they were once worn (despite their weight of 1-2kg) or had hair inserts.The ritual or other purpose of the masks remains a matter of conjecture, though they may have represented dead ancestors, since plastered painted skulls have been found from a slightly later date in the same area in towns such as Jericho. They have now been assembled in an exhibition aptly named face to face running at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem until September.LozImage credit: Israel Antiquities Authorityhttp://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/oldest-masks-go-on-display-140310.htmhttp://www.diplomacy.co.il/diplomatic-magazine/art-culture/2059-world-s-oldest-masks-united-for-first-time-at-the-israel-museumhttp://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-1.578808 -- source link
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