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The Ādam Paradox Hypothesis 11
Strand Two: Levantine Burials — Hints Without Continuity
Skhul (~120 ka): Ochre Shadows
At Skhul Cave, Mount Carmel (Israel), skeletons dated to ~120 ka reveal early
burials. Some bodies were sprinkled with red ochre, a pigment often linked to
symbolic expression (Vandermeersch, 1981).
But ochre here appears as an isolated gesture. Later layers in the Levant lack
such continuity.
Qafzeh (~92 ka): Beads and a Child with Antlers
Qafzeh Cave, also in Israel, yields stronger hints. Burials include skeletons
coated in red ochre, perforated shells likely strung as necklaces, and one
haunting grave: a child interred with deer antlers placed across its chest (Bar-
Yosef Mayer et al., 2009).
Erella Hovers, analyzing these remains, concluded:
“The Qafzeh burials show
symbolic potential, but they are isolated episodes. They did not lead to a
sustained tradition” (Hovers, 2009, p. 381).
The gestures are powerful. But the record immediately after falls silent.
Symbolism here is episodic, not cumulative.
The Continuity Problem
Symbolic behaviors in the Levant were punctuated, fragile, and discontinuous.
They suggest imagination, but they fail what archaeologists call the continuity
test: a behavior must persist across generations, spread, and accumulate.