For a hundred years, archaeologists have wondered why no cave paintings were found in the Levant, particularly in Israel. Now, a group of archaeologists from Tel Aviv University proposed an original explanation: prehistoric humans in the region didn’t create cave paintings because the large animals depicted in European cave art had already gone extinct here.
Lacking these animals, there was no reason to perform shamanic rituals in the depths of caves aimed at preserving them.
The editorial on the subject published in the Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society was authored by Prof. Ran Barkai, Dr. Ilan Degani, Dr. Miki Ben-Dor and Dr. Yafit Kedar from Tel Aviv University's Department of Archaeology.
Prof. Barkai noted that the question has puzzled researchers for years. "The first prehistoric cave excavation in the country took place in 1925, but to our frustration, not a single cave painting has been found since," he said. "Hundreds of stunning cave paintings have been discovered were found in other parts of the world, such as Spain and France."
Prof. Barkai compared life in Israel and Western Europe about 30,000–35,000 years ago, the period when European cave paintings were created. He explained that in Israel, humans lived under the same cultural framework as those in Europe — the Aurignacian culture.
"Their tools were similar and their art, like beads and pendants, was also comparable. There’s no debate about the cognitive abilities of humans here — they were on par with those in Europe," he said.
The mystery surrounding the absence of cave paintings in the Levant has deepened in recent years as studies revealed that the Aurignacian culture in the Levant and Europe shared biological and cultural similarities and maintained connections.
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Cavemen hunting elephant
(Illustration: Ran Barkai, Dana Arcfeld/Tel Aviv University's Department of Archaeology)
"These were Homo sapiens, modern humans, who likely left Africa 60,000–70,000 years ago," Prof. Barkai explained. "They passed through the region around 60,000 years ago and reached Europe by 45,000 years ago. However, archaeological evidence now shows that some returned to Israel — indicating that migration wasn’t one-way. It seems that humans moved back and forth between the regions, yet cave paintings are found there and not here."
"To solve this puzzle, we first need to address another question: Why did humans create cave paintings at all? This is a major debate,” Prof. Barkai explained. “We support the view that cave paintings were part of shamanic rituals linked to altered states of consciousness.
“These rituals were meant to convey messages to entities believed to reside beyond the cave walls, in the underworld — considered a source of abundance — to ask for help in the face of the extinction of large animals that humans relied on for survival."
According to the researchers, the extinction of large animals like woolly mammoths and woolly rhinos began shortly after modern humans arrived in Europe. These animals, rich in fat, were a primary food source.
Their disappearance caused distress, prompting prehistoric humans to venture deep into caves and depict these animals on the walls as part of rituals to appeal for their return. Cave paintings ceased around the time when the extinction of large animals in Europe was complete.
"Cave paintings are typically found deep within caves, in places that are difficult and even dangerous to access. Indigenous communities today often view caves as gateways to the underworld — a realm of abundance and the source of all things,” The researchers stressed.
“In times of crisis, such as disease or conflict, people would appeal to entities from the other side. We argue that prehistoric humans in Europe entered caves and painted disappearing animals to request their return and highlight their survival needs."
In contrast, the researchers noted, "In Israel, such paintings are absent because large animals were already extinct here before the arrival of Homo sapiens. Earlier human species had caused their extinction. By the time Homo sapiens arrived, elephants and rhinos were no longer present, forcing them to hunt smaller, faster animals.”
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“However, those who continued on to Europe encountered large animals like mammoths and woolly rhinos. For them, it must have felt like reaching paradise. The subsequent extinction of these animals, unfolding before their eyes, led to a crisis that gave rise to cave paintings,” they added.
“There was no such crisis during this period in Israel, only continuity, which is why we don’t find cave paintings here. This hypothesis reinforces the broader idea that early humans were aware of their role in the extinction of their food sources."