6,000-Year-Old Dead Sea Crown Used for Funeral Rituals

Ancient crown dating to about 3,500 B.C. discovered in the Cave of Treasures near the Dead Sea was used for burial ceremonies during the Copper Age.
Dead Sea cave crown was used for burial ceremonies
Copper crown discovered in a Dead Sea cave in 1961.

The Nahal Mishmar Hoard is a collection of copper, bronze, ivory and stone artifacts found wrapped in a reed mat in a cave by the Dead Sea. A team searching for Dead Sea scrolls in 1961 discovered the treasure hidden in a crevice, behind a boulder deep within the cave.

Carbon-dating of the mat places it in the Copper Age between 4,000-3,500 B.C. The amazing find included mace heads, scepters, tools and weapons, many of which were unlike anything ever found.

One object of particular interest is a crown, believed to be the oldest in the world. It is a thick copper ring with doors and vultures protruding from the top. Based on the symbolism, researchers believe it was used for funeral rituals.

The crown was unveiled by New York University’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World as part of the “Masters of Fire: Copper Age Art from Israel” exhibit earlier this year.

Nahal Mishmar Hoard
Copper Age artifacts found in the Cave of Treasures near the Dead Sea.

via The Epoch Times and Times of Israel

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Marisol
Marisol
1 year ago

I notice that the bird figures on the crown are very very similar to the bird figures at the base of the eastern central pillar at Gobekli Tepe

Jo Hutson
7 years ago

This crown is really reminiscent of carvings found at Gobekli Tepe, like the doorway or portal and the vultures.

Lara
5 months ago

Not a crown, it’s a ring for a giant. Look at it surrounded by beads!

Devi Welch
6 years ago

BTW Jo I can see in your pic that you are a great looking,happy couple!