Archaeologists find an ancient cave in Israel that allegedly serves as a portal to the underworld

Archaeologists in western Jerusalem have discovered an ancient cave known as the Te’omim Cave, which is believed to function as a portal to the underworld. In their recent excavation, the researchers found over 100 ceramic lamps tucked into the cave’s crevices, leading them to theorize that these lamps were likely used for necromancy, a practice of conjuring up spirits and uncovering their secrets.

The Te’omim Cave dates back to 4000 BCE and the fourth century AD, and it has been the subject of various research efforts for the past 150 years. Eitan Klein from the Israel Antiquities Authority at Ashkelon Academic College and Boaz Zissu from Bar-Ilan University wrote in the ‘Harvard Theological Review’: “The Te’omim Cave in the Jerusalem hills has all the cultic and physical elements necessary to serve as a possible portal to the underworld.”

The cave is believed to contain spring water with healing properties flowing through its underground system. In the 1970s, researchers discovered secret passageways leading to hidden chambers within the cave, where they found various embedded archaeological artifacts such as coins, pottery, metal weapons, lamps, and skulls.

Though not many human remains were visible, the researchers found a skull along with four late Roman-era lamps tucked deep into a hard-to-reach crevice. The skull was likely used as a sorcery weapon to ward off evil spirits.

Writings on the cave walls suggest that these practices were prevalent during the Roman and Greek eras. The flames within the lamps were considered a means of communicating with demons and spirits from beyond the grave. The writings also indicate that necromancy was commonly practiced by witches in tombs or underground shrines, with skulls playing a significant role.

The study revealed that the objects found in the cave, including the oil lamps, ceramic and glass vessels, axe head, and daggers, were used for sorcery and magic in caves believed to be potential portals to the underworld. These objects were used in rituals to predict the future and summon the spirits of the dead.

The excavation has been ongoing since 2009 through a collaboration between the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University and the Cave Research Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The findings shed light on the ancient practices of necromancy and the significance of caves in connecting with the spirit world.