Comments on: Have Archaeologists Found Evidence of an Ancient Funeral Feast?

By: Alice C. Linsley

Alice C. Linsley — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 23:04:14 +0000

The Natufians were East Africans and had priests, not shamans. The evidence at the site doesn’t support the view that the woman was a shaman, only that she held a high rank in her community. See this: http://jandyongenesis.blogspot.com/2010/11/kushite-expansion-and-natufians.html

By: Kay

Kay — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:42:57 +0000

If the food remains were in the same place as the burial site, I wouldn’t think they would just eat where they buried their ancestors on a regular basis. I would think that is was part of the ceremony. I doubt they would have the normal dining area in the same place as where they buried their people… but I guess there are those who might argue with that. :(

By: PJD

PJD — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:48:32 +0000

Good lord, what are future scientists going to make of our massive trash dumps? Imagine what kind of feast they might think one of those to be!

By: JC

JC — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:40:58 +0000

The picture looks like it could have been taken in northern Mexico where African grasses are invasive and prickly-pears (or nopales as we call them) are native. I wonder if I am looking at just the opposite invasive-native vegetation relationship here?
I have to agree with Brian Too that scarcity of food would seem to increase the significance of sharing it as a large group but without further ceremonial evidence who knows?

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:37:20 +0000

I’d argue with Kuijt’s point. My parents host the odd neighborhood barbeque, and they always mean something. Even if the hosts decline to say so.

In a modern urban setting, the BBQ can be used as as ‘getting to know you’ event. This allows subsequent interactions with less formality and distance. If you already know the invitees, the shared event reinforces existing social bonds.

A BBQ invitation can also be used as a form of payment or completed social obligation. Perhaps as a reply to a previous meal at the neighbor’s place.

In social contexts as old as the Israeli site, there’s a good possibility that food was scarcer than in a modern suburban setting. Any such scarcity would greatly increase the meaning and value of a shared feast. Plentiful meat would also up the prestige factor I would think.

By: Rhacodactylus

Rhacodactylus — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:02:18 +0000

I knew the urge to party was innate.