Speaker Bio
I am an archaeologist from Israel, and have spent many years in the field and the field and at the laboratory working mostly on stone-tool technology and related subjects. I wrote my PhD on the Neolithic, but later moved deeper in time to the Lower Paleolithic. I have been excavating and researching the site of Qesem Cave for the last two decades, as well as other Lower Paleolithic sites. In recent years I am fascinated by human-elephants interactions and have studied the role of proboscideans in human biological and cultural evolution. Moreover, I am into aspects of Ontology and Cosmology of human relationships with the cosmos and the way this is manifested in the archaeological record.
ICPR 2024 Abstract
The Paleolithic Psychedelic experience: Caves as doors of perception
The psychedelic experience has its roots in the deep human past. I present archaeological evidence for the application of psychedelic experiences by our early ancestors in prehistoric times and discuss the role of caves as portals, transformational arenas and doors of perception. I will emphasize the role of psychedelic experiences in achieving prosperity and well-being in the deep human past and as a mechanism for providing solutions to challenges and disasters. Human relationships with caves began nearly 2 million years ago. Throughout history, caves ignited our imaginations and been recognized as transformational places. Deep, dark caves are unique environments, where humans experience the psychophysical effects of sensory deprivation. Early humans deliberately penetrated such caves, navigable only with artificial light, but lighting torches in caves depletes oxygen supply and increases carbon monoxide/dioxide concentrations, inducing hypoxia and altered states of consciousness. Caves, thus, are the perfect context for understanding Paleolithic expressions of human consciousness and psychedelic experiences. Paleolithic caves served as arenas for practicing and expanding human consciousness in order to communicate with the cosmos in times of trouble. Early humans negotiated their intimate relationships with the world via caves, perceived as portals to the underground, as evidenced in the ancient archaeological record of decorated caves and Paleolithic cave art. By embracing experience from the deep human past, psychedelic experiences are viewed as an integral part of human nature and a mechanism that enabled humans to take care of themselves as well of the cosmos for hundreds of thousands of years.