Remarkable archaeological discovery: Ancient portal to the underworld unearthed in a cave in Israel

Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery near Jerusalem, uncovering evidence of an ancient portal to the underworld, according to a study published in the Harvard Theological Review. Te'omim Cave, situated in the Jerusalem Hills of Israel, has been a subject of study since 1873, and it is believed that its spring water was considered healing by those who used the cave between 4000 BCE and the fourth century CE.

The cave has a rich history, serving as a hiding place for Jewish rebels during the Bar Kokhba revolt in the 2nd century CE. In recent years, researchers from Bar-Ilan University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have been excavating the cave since 2009, revealing a trove of intriguing items.

Among the findings are three human skulls, 120 oil lamps, ancient pottery, and weapons from the Bronze Age carefully placed together and concealed in the rocks' crevices. Eitan Klein and Boaz Zissu, archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority and Bar-Ilan University, suggest that the cave was used for necromancy ceremonies during the Late Roman period, possibly serving as a local oracle for this purpose.

Professor Boaz Zissu explains that the area went through a transformation after the Bar Kokhba Revolt, with Roman pagan elements entering the region. The researchers propose that these new settlers may have performed different rituals in the cave.

"This whole area underwent a radical transformation following the crash of the Bar Kokhba Revolt," explained Professor Boaz Zissu.

Professor Zissu further explained, "Previously, this was a Jewish area, then following the vacuum created in this region, Roman pagan elements entered, and these might be new rituals performed by new Roman pagan settlers."

The Te'omim Cave appears to possess the elements necessary to function as a portal to the underworld, with objects found in hard-to-reach crevices seemingly used in sorcery and magic.

"Most of the objects discovered in hard-to-reach crevices in the Te'omim Cave, including the oil lamps, the ceramic and glass bowls and vessels, the axe head, and the daggers, were used in one way or another for sorcery and magic in caves perceived as possible portals to the underworld. Their purpose was to predict the future and conjure up the spirits of the dead," researchers said in the study.

The presence of over 100 ceramic oil lamps and only three human skulls leads the researchers to believe that the primary cultic ceremony involved depositing oil lamps for chthonic forces, possibly related to raising the dead and predicting the future.

"Because more than 100 ceramic oil lamps but only three human skulls have been found so far in the Te'omim Cave, we hypothesize that the primary cultic ceremony focused on depositing oil lamps for chthonic forces, perhaps as part of rituals conducted in the cave to raise the dead and predict the future," the team added.

The discovery sheds light on the ancient practices of divination rites and provides a tangible connection to the spells found in the Greek and Demotic Magical Papyri, showcasing the magical practices of the past.

"Magical practice is used in ritual acts that are undertaken, mainly by individuals, to achieve a desired effect. Sometimes the practices should be carried out in a specific location or require the use of specific material culture. Therefore, to locate magic in the archaeological context, we must trace material evidence for those practices. The findings and their specific archaeological contexts provide a better understanding of divination rites that were probably held in the cave and shed a more tangible light over the spells of the Greek and Demotic Magical Papyri," the researchers added.

Overall, the excavation at Te'omim Cave has unraveled intriguing insights into ancient rituals and beliefs, offering a fascinating glimpse into the spiritual and supernatural world of the past.

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