Large stones may have acted as grave markers. Old burials were commonly re-dug and moved to make way for new ones, with the older bones often being gathered and cached together. They were now beginning to take on the form of modern cemeteries. Some burials were double, comprising an adult male with a juvenile male buried by his side. The burials share a number of characteristics (such as use of ochre, and shell and mammoth ivory jewellery) that go back thousands of years. All these graves are delineated by the cave walls and large limestone blocks. Dozens of men, women, and children were being buried in the same caves which were used for burials 10,000 years beforehand. Prior mortuary activity had either taken a less obvious form or contemporaries retained some of their burial knowledge in the absence of such activity. 13,000–8,000 BCE Noticeable burial activity resumed. periwinkle shells, weighted clothing, dolls, possible drumsticks, mammoth ivory beads, fox teeth pendants, panoply of ivory artifacts, “baton” antlers, flint blades etc.). Additionally, various objects were included in the graves (e.g. These, too, incorporate the heavy use of red ochre. 25,000–21,000 BCE Clear examples of burials are present in Iberia, Wales, and eastern Europe. Some were deliberately broken or repeatedly stabbed, possibly representing the murders of the men with whom they were buried, or owing to some other unknown social dynamic.

The oldest discovered “Venus figurines” appeared in graves. This practice may be the origin of sacred relics. This roughly coincides with the time period of the Homo sapiens’ introduction to Europe and decline of the Neanderthals individual skulls and/or long bones began appearing, heavily stained with red ochre and separately buried. 35-000-26,000 BCE Neanderthal burials are absent from the archaeological record.

The sculpture has also been interpreted as anthropomorphic, giving human characteristics to an animal, although it may have represented a deity. 38,000 BCE The Aurignacian Löwenmensch figurine, the oldest known zoomorphic (animal-shaped) sculpture in the world and one of the oldest known sculptures in general, was made. 50th to 11th millennium BCE 40,000 BCE The remains of one of the earliest known anatomically modern humans to be discovered cremated, was buried near Lake Mungo. 70,000-35,000 BCE Neanderthal burials take place in areas of Europe and the Middle East. 100,000 BCE Earliest known human burial in the Middle East. Prehistory Middle Paleolithic (300,000-50,000 BCE)ĭespite claims by some researchers of bear worship, belief in an afterlife, and other rituals, the archaeological evidence does not support the presence of religious practices by modern humans or Neanderthals during this period. Main articles: Religion, History of Religion Much pre-historic religion is subject to continued debate. A lack of written records results in most of the knowledge of pre-historic religion being derived from archaeological records and other indirect sources, and from suppositions. Written history (the age of formal writing) is only c.5000 years old. This article reaches into pre-historic times, as the bulk of the human religious experience pre-dates written history. The timeline of religion is a chronological catalogue of important and noteworthy religious events in pre-historic and modern times.

A spiritualism timelime