Name: This Was One of the First Known Human Ritual Sites
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In a secluded Botswana cave, a natural stone outcropping was carved to resemble a python. Archaeologists think this could be one of the world’s earliest ritual sites.

Early humans may have brought offerings to this enormous stone snake.

This Was One of the First Known Human Ritual Sites

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In a secluded Botswana cave, a natural stone outcropping was carved to resemble a python. Archaeologists think this could be one of the world’s earliest ritual sites.

Early humans may have brought offerings to this enormous stone snake.

Evolution

This Was One of the First Known Human Ritual SitesPublished: December 11, 2025SHEILA COULSON: The front has a natural slit for a mouth and a natural depression for an eye. And even if you want to go that far, a nostril up at the front. With the head rearing up, it does in modern eyes look like a snake.The overall form has been altered to make it look even more snake-like. There are over 300 indentations that have been ground into the surface over what is obviously an extended period of time. When the initial excavations were conducted, they absolutely revealed a number of questions. One of the things found was an extremely large number of tools that appeared to be manufactured and then just left there in pristine condition.ELLA AL-SHAMAHI: These look gorgeous. I mean, they're absolutely stunning.SHEILA COULSON: Once they were manufactured, then you did one of three things with it. You either manufactured it perfectly and just left it. Or more interestingly, you burnt it. But not burnt to just like throwing it in a bonfire. It's controlled burning. And the third and most bizarre thing that they did with them is they made it, manufactured it perfectly, and when they were finished, turned it over, smashed it in the middle.ELLA AL-SHAMAHI: This behavior suggests that people were likely coming here to make offerings, which tells us something about how their minds worked.SHEILA COULSON: Although it's absolutely magnificent during the daytime, it comes to life at night. You make an offering and hope for something back.ELLA AL-SHAMAHI: Asking for probably some of the things that we would ask for, food, health, children, et cetera, et cetera. And you just think, "Oh my gosh, that's some of the earliest behavior that we know so well."

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This Was One of the First Known Human Ritual Sites

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