A Heart in a pre-CE Synagogue?, page 1

I was just reading this article where one of the world's oldest synagogues has been found in the northern part of Israel during excavation for a new hotel.

www.cnn.com...

What is interesting is the picture that accompanies this article of a large stone that set in the middle of this synagogue. While the archeologists are all gleeful that it contains one of the oldest renditions of the seven branched menorah, I'm a little more intrigued by the fact it has very distinguishable "valentine" hearts on it!

pic

i2.cdn.turner.com...

I did some quick research on this and while you can find some sites that have some dubious information with claims that the valentine-shaped heart icon dates all the way back to paleolithic cave drawings, it appears those claims are tenuous at best.

This book,

books.google.com... RILYAo&hl=en&ei=CNGqSqOVCJiltgeZ2ZGSCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=&f=false

which is devoted to the history of the "valentine heart" states that what is now being called a heart symbol in the cave drawings was actually originally interpreted to be signifying the ear flap on an elephant, and that it wasn't until after elephant hunters suggested it was the heart that the finder of the cave drawing considered it...but never really officially promoted the idea.

It appears, from the brief reading I've done on the subject, that the current valentine heart icon, doesn't have real firm roots past about the middle ages.

Until now - or is some one off on their dating of this stone to 100 to 50 BCE???

[edit on 9-11-2009 by Valhall]

Ancient Walled City, Older than Egypt\'s Pyramids, Unearthed off US Georgia Coast
  Posted 11 days ago with 101 member flags

Origin of Ancient Jade Tool Baffles Scientists
  Posted 6 days ago with 96 member flags

12,000 Years Old Unexplained Structure
  Posted 3 days ago with 80 member flags

The Uluburun shipwreck sunk 3,400 years ago
  Posted 14 days ago with 70 member flags

Sigiriya : The 8th Wonder of the World
  Posted 3 days ago with 45 member flags

Tomb of Queen Heterpheres
  Posted 15 days ago with 29 member flags

42,000-year-old paintings : \'The oldest work of art ever\' discovered
  Posted 2 days ago with 26 member flags

R.O.V. Photos of Sunken Megaliths off Western Cuba
  Posted 10 days ago with 21 member flags

Newest topics, updated in real-time:

Newest topics getting flags, in real-time:

Newest topics getting replies, in real-time: