The Natufians were a Late Epi-Paleolithic culture, who occupied the Levant in Western Asia from around 15,000 to 11,500 years ago.
It was a culture that were developing new skills and practices, it was a time of real socioeconomic change, as the Natufians were laying the groundwork for what was to come next in the Neolithic. It was the transition period from foraging to farming.
The Natufian people were great builders. They were artists and tool makers, had a microlithic industry, and made everyday implements by working various types of stone, from hard basalt to soft limestone and siltstone.
They also buried their dead. So far, in total more than 400 Natufian burials have been found and excavated, and we can see that this culture marks significant change in human burial practices.
And the burial site being discussed today is completely unique. Nothing else from the Natufian culture is similar, and there is nothing like it in the preceding Palaeolithic Period.
In this video we're looking at the grave of what experts call a Natufian shaman, a woman who was buried with some truly amazing grave goods, and who must have held an important position in the Natufian culture, 12,000 years ago.