Ancient Masks On Display In Jerusalem

[nosmelone]

Stumbled across this article today and found it quite interesting.  I find it interesting that they have been able to carbon date the masks back 9000 years and that the civilization that would have created these masks represents the turning point from hunter-gatherers to farmers.  Does anyone have any idea how archaeologists would confirm something like that?  Seems like quite the assumption but then again I am no archaeologist.   Either way these masks are amazing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-masks-display-jerusalem-160209806.html

[bcuzbcuz]

A

Stumbled across this article today and found it quite interesting.  I find it interesting that they have been able to carbon date the masks back 9000 years and that the civilization that would have created these masks represents the turning point from hunter-gatherers to farmers.  Does anyone have any idea how archaeologists would confirm something like that?  Seems like quite the assumption but then again I am no archaeologist.   Either way these masks are amazing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-masks-display-jerusalem-160209806.html

Adam's father wore these masks for Adam's fifth birthday party. I like the one with a toothy smile best.

[cdowis]

Be sure to click on the "Gallery" on the photograph to see the full exhibit.

[strappinglad]

I think it would be tough to carbon date STONE . They must have used some other method unless they carbon dated some wood found on the same layer.

[nosmelone]

A

Adam's father wore these masks for Adam's fifth birthday party. I like the one with a toothy smile best.

You have to admit when looking through the gallery there was a part of you that hoped one of them looked like Darth Vader or a lucha libre wrestling mask.   

[Freedom]

A significance of an artifact is drawn from similar artifacts found at other locations where such a transition can be better established. For example, if you find graves all around the world of infants laid carefully in a row and at each location it can be proven that they were sacrificed to a god, if you find such a configuration in a location on the planet without any other collaborative evidence, it is reasonable to assume that the children were also sacrificed. It is  not proven, but it can be reasonably presumed. 

[Kyra]

thanks for sharing this info! Fascinating

[Rob Osborn]

Stumbled across this article today and found it quite interesting.  I find it interesting that they have been able to carbon date the masks back 9000 years and that the civilization that would have created these masks represents the turning point from hunter-gatherers to farmers.  Does anyone have any idea how archaeologists would confirm something like that?  Seems like quite the assumption but then again I am no archaeologist.   Either way these masks are amazing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-masks-display-jerusalem-160209806.html

They are defintitely not 9,000 years old as that goes back before Adam and the temporal age of the earth. This is the type of thing that plagues modern science. They make one bad assumption and then everything that follows becomes corrupted or false also therefore making history a fable. By assuming their dates are right they then go on to build up a history around these masks stating things like it was before Christianity came about (Christianity was taught from the beginning of the world) and that it came about before man invented writing (actually, God showed Adam and Eve how to write after the pattern given him by the finger of the Lord and so writing has always been on earth with man). Thus, whereas the masks are cool as heck, the science behind the discovery and the story they invented is nothing short of fairytale stuff.

[thesometimesaint]

Stumbled across this article today and found it quite interesting.  I find it interesting that they have been able to carbon date the masks back 9000 years and that the civilization that would have created these masks represents the turning point from hunter-gatherers to farmers.  Does anyone have any idea how archaeologists would confirm something like that?  Seems like quite the assumption but then again I am no archaeologist.   Either way these masks are amazing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-masks-display-jerusalem-160209806.html

 

Cool. That date is consistent with dates of more established providence.

[David T]

 This is the type of thing that plagues modern science. They make one bad assumption and then everything that follows becomes corrupted or false also therefore making history a fable.

 

Actually, this is exactly my view of the results of devotion to overly simplistic views of scriptures. "They make one bad assumption and then everything that follows becomes corrupted or false also therefore making history a fable."

[David T]

You have to admit when looking through the gallery there was a part of you that hoped one of them looked like Darth Vader

 

Maybe not Vader, but George Lucas' Force Priestesses are totally legit.

Edited March 12, 2014 by David T

[katherine the great]

I think it would be tough to carbon date STONE . They must have used some other method unless they carbon dated some wood found on the same layer.

Organic material that is found alongside or even embedded in the masks would have been used for the dating.  Numerous samples are generally used to get a good range.  Rock can be dated using different techniques but that wouldn't tell us how old the mask is, only the rock.

[katherine the great]

They are defintitely not 9,000 years old as that goes back before Adam and the temporal age of the earth. This is the type of thing that plagues modern science. They make one bad assumption and then everything that follows becomes corrupted or false also therefore making history a fable. By assuming their dates are right they then go on to build up a history around these masks stating things like it was before Christianity came about (Christianity was taught from the beginning of the world) and that it came about before man invented writing (actually, God showed Adam and Eve how to write after the pattern given him by the finger of the Lord and so writing has always been on earth with man). Thus, whereas the masks are cool as heck, the science behind the discovery and the story they invented is nothing short of fairytale stuff.

I will be sure to pass that along to the archaeologists at the site so that they change their data to match your timeline.

[Rob Osborn]

Actually, this is exactly my view of the results of devotion to overly simplistic views of scriptures. "They make one bad assumption and then everything that follows becomes corrupted or false also therefore making history a fable."

We are all free to believe in God or become as the world believes

[Rob Osborn]

I will be sure to pass that along to the archaeologists at the site so that they change their data to match your timeline.

Don't even bother, I have heard they think God is "mythical".

[bcuzbcuz]

A significance of an artifact is drawn from similar artifacts found at other locations where such a transition can be better established. For example, if you find graves all around the world of infants laid carefully in a row and at each location it can be proven that they were sacrificed to a god, if you find such a configuration in a location on the planet without any other collaborative evidence, it is reasonable to assume that the children were also sacrificed. It is  not proven, but it can be reasonably presumed.

Sorry, but I disagree strongly. If ten sites from completely different locations within one culture, from the same time period, where all sites show signs of the same significant traditions, then some conclusions might be drawn about the significance of an eleventh site. But if a ten sites from entirely different cultures, from different places around the planet, from different time periods, with different belief systems, were to display what appear to be similarities in a tradition, you can assume nothing. Each site would need considerable exploration before any conclusions could be reached, let alone that a tradition like child sacrifice was a shared trait.

Many archaeological discoveries have been misinterpretted by using the logic you describe. "Aha, these people believed in one supreme god, that must mean they believed in our god". Just look at all the crap literature published about the Amarna period from Egyptian history, or rather, read some of the good, qualified research from that period, like Jan Assmann''s work and then see if any analogies work.

[Ron Beron]

A bit more... http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-general/incredible-collection-neolithic-spirit-masks-revealed-first-time-001426

[Freedom]

Sorry, but I disagree strongly. If ten sites from completely different locations within one culture, from the same time period, where all sites show signs of the same significant traditions, then some conclusions might be drawn about the significance of an eleventh site. But if a ten sites from entirely different cultures, from different places around the planet, from different time periods, with different belief systems, were to display what appear to be similarities in a tradition, you can assume nothing. Each site would need considerable exploration before any conclusions could be reached, let alone that a tradition like child sacrifice was a shared trait.

Many archaeological discoveries have been misinterpretted by using the logic you describe. "Aha, these people believed in one supreme god, that must mean they believed in our god". Just look at all the crap literature published about the Amarna period from Egyptian history, or rather, read some of the good, qualified research from that period, like Jan Assmann''s work and then see if any analogies work.

Well, unless you are an anthropologist, you opinion is your own but not based on any evidence. The evidence that has been gathered over many years is that human civilizations all develop along the same path. This is how a scientific theory is developed. You look for common indicators. If the common indicators are present, than a theory is applied. At some point, conclusions need to be drawn; otherwise we remain in ignorance. We have a responsibility to interpret the data as best we can. 

[David T]

We are all free to believe in God or become as the world believes

I'm quite okay believing that some of what has been attributed to Him has been shown to be less than accurate without feeling the need to disbelieve God. My faith in God and love, appreciation, and ability to take seriously the scriptures has increased as I have widened my acceptance of Truth, wherever it may be found.

I've been watching a lot of shows with my 4 year old. And explaining different ideas of magic, or death, I explain, "In this story, these are the rules, and it works this way. But their story is different than the story we are living in." - as we progress, our understanding of the story we live in changes. I don't hold characters and chroniclers earlier on in the history of our story at fault for not having a complete understanding of the rules of the story in which I live and understand today.

[Rob Osborn]

I'm quite okay believing that some of what has been attributed to Him has been shown to be less than accurate without feeling the need to disbelieve God. My faith in God and love, appreciation, and ability to take seriously the scriptures has increased as I have widened my acceptance of Truth, wherever it may be found.

I've been watching a lot of shows with my 4 year old. And explaining different ideas of magic, or death, I explain, "In this story, these are the rules, and it works this way. But their story is different than the story we are living in." - as we progress, our understanding of the story we live in changes. I don't hold characters and chroniclers earlier on in the history of our story at fault for not having a complete understanding of the rules of the story in which I live and understand today.

Thats fine, I understand your position. Some believe in Gods words and some believe in how man has interpreted the world.

[Ahab]

I'm quite okay believing that some of what has been attributed to Him has been shown to be less than accurate without feeling the need to disbelieve God. My faith in God and love, appreciation, and ability to take seriously the scriptures has increased as I have widened my acceptance of Truth, wherever it may be found.

I've been watching a lot of shows with my 4 year old. And explaining different ideas of magic, or death, I explain, "In this story, these are the rules, and it works this way. But their story is different than the story we are living in." - as we progress, our understanding of the story we live in changes. I don't hold characters and chroniclers earlier on in the history of our story at fault for not having a complete understanding of the rules of the story in which I live and understand today.

I hope you plan to teach your child where babies come from, even if you have to use an analogy of the birds and the bees. I know stories about a primordial ooze or pelicans delivering babies to people's doorstep can be entertaining, but at some point we should understand how it all happens. Even a child can understand the truth on this issue.

[David T]

Some believe every word and story of scripture represents Gods actual verbatim words, others believe they represent how man has interpreted their own experience with the divine.

All scripture is interpretation/translation material. And then we go and add our layers of interpretation onto that interpretation. Scripture, which should just be a bridge, becomes worshipped, trusted, listened to, and relied on more than God himself.

Edited March 13, 2014 by David T

[David T]

Ahab,

My 4 year old daughter loves Santa Claus, but is very well aware that he is just a fun pretend story. We have had to tell her that some believe that story is true, so she shouldn't go around breaking that bubble for other kids her age - which she has already tried to do!

As for the facts of life, she asks detailed questions. And we give her appropriate accurate answers.

We all live within the construct of a story we believe is true. I regularly update my understanding and rules of the story that I believe we are living in.

Edited March 13, 2014 by David T

[Ahab]

Some believe every word and story of scripture represents Gods actual verbatim words, others believe they represent how man has interpreted their own experience with the divine.

All scripture is interpretation/translation material. And then we go and add our layers of interpretation onto that interpretation. Scripture becomes worshipped, trusted, and relied on more than God himself.

I agree with the point I think you are making, if I have correctly interpreted/translated what you mean by your words, and I think you'll agree there isn't much of a line between believing in someone and believing in what they are saying. We can worship God only as well as we can get to know him, and we can get to know him only as well as we understand what he has told us. Until then we're just listening to what other people say about him.

[David T]

Nephi believed Lehi, but still wanted to see the vision for himself. When he did, he learned more than his Father had learned, and noticed some details his father hadn't greasped. Nephi then included his own new version of the vision. His dad's scriptural account wasn't the definitive version.

Scripture should lead to asking God what message he had intended the author to get across, and even asking about (and perhaps proposing some) thoughts and corrections. What Joseph did with the JST we should be personally doing in our own lives - just the results are not something authorized to declare to the worldwide Church.

Scripture, for me, isn't the direct line to God. It is an important bridge and catalyst to asking Him the right questions, and having a personal experience with Him. They were written in the context of the story the prophetic writers believed they lived in. More light and knowledge has come into the world, and the parameters of the story, as understood have changed. Translating their explanations of their stories into our current one is an important part of 'likening' and getting at the source of Scripture.

At times, God will let prophets see in light and in the context of their own understanding of the story to get the essential message across. Sometimes he intentionally pokes holes in their understanding to cause them to grasp for more.

Edited March 13, 2014 by David T