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"One of the murals from a Catal Hayuk shrine ... depicts just
such a ritual scene: a human figure dressed in a vulture skin."
In 1977 the journal Sumer published an article entitled "Predatory Bird Rituals at Zawi Chemi Shanidar" suggesting that at the 10,000 year old site, vulture wings had almost certainly been utilized as part of some kind of ritualistic costume, worn either for personal decoration or for ceremonial purposes. The author connected the finds with the Vulture Shamanism of the proto-neolithic Çatal Hüyük community, also located in Anatolia. Recognizing the importance of the discovery the author concluded the article by saying:
"The Zawi Chemi people must have endowed these great raptorial birds with special powers, and the faunal remains we have described for the site must represent special ritual paraphernalia. Certainly, the remains represent a concerted effort by a goodly number of people just to hunt down and capture such a large number of birds and goats... either the wings were saved to pluck out the feathers, or that wing fans were made, or that they were used as part of a costume for a ritual. One of the murals from a Catal Hayuk shrine (which was 2000 years later in time, and several hundred miles away in distance)... depicts just such a ritual scene; ie, a human figure dressed in a vulture skin" (source)
The quote above ends with the sentence: "One of the murals from a Catal Hayuk shrine ... depicts just such a ritual scene; ie, a human figure dressed in a vulture skin."
In the article found at the Sun Dagger site, a modern day man, although thinking he is alone, is confronted by a mysterious woman that apparently arrived out of nowhere on the top edge of the 400 foot high butte. Nothing alive was seen previously except for a group of four circling vultures that passed close to the butte. When the circling group moved away only three were to be seen, but the woman was then on the ledge. Later, the man, asked to describe the woman, said:
She looked like a Native American, Navajo, possibly Hopi. She never said a word. She was dressed in all white, actually sort of off white, heavy weave cloth. One piece, dropped over her head almost to the ground, no sleeves, tied at the waist with a string or rope, fringy around the bottom. Looked handmade, not worn or dirty, but something about her outfit seemed old, almost ancient. Her too. Barefoot, no shoes, sandals or boots. Maybe three necklesses, one maybe of shells, not sure. A bracelet, possibly wood or bone on one arm. No silver, turquoise, leather, buckskin or feathers in the traditional sense. No markings, applied or otherwise. When I say no feathers in the traditional sense what I mean to say is she did have what appeared to be a shiny black feather cape or shawl --- possibly made of crow feathers only seemingly much longer --- tied, attached, or layered across the top of her shoulders and slightly down her back like nothing I had ever seen before or since, especially in relation to Native Americans.
Notice the woman had a "shiny black feather cape or shawl --- possibly made of crow feathers only seemingly much longer --- tied, attached, or layered across the top of her shoulders and slightly down her back." In that four vultures were seen circling initially, then three after the woman appeared on the ledge of the butte, the feathers could have easily have been vulture feathers. The description: "possibly made of crow feathers only seemingly much longer" certainly sounds like vulture feathers. Especially in the fact that the woman disappeared off the butte apparently in the same mysterious fashion as she appeared.
Although it is not known what mural or murals the author of the above article is specifically refering to, the sketches below accompanied a 1984 article by James Mellaart, "Some Notes on the Prehistory of Anatolian Kilims." (B. Frauenknecht, Early Turkish Tapestries, pp. 25-41.) show what appears to be "a human figure dressed in a vulture skin." Mellaart says the majority of the motifs were copied from Çatal Hüyük wall paintings (or in the case of Numbers 67-70 from Hacilar painted pots).
Please note drawing Number 74 as well as Number 82, traced or drawn by Mellaart from the walls of actual Çatal Hüyük murals. The images seem quite clear, while other close by motifs indicate a similar human figure, vulture theme as well, albeit in a much more abstract fashion.
Vulture wings had almost certainly been utilized as
part of some kind of ritualistic costume, worn either
for personal decoration or for ceremonial purposes.
TALON AND SCRATCH MARKS FROM THE GIANT BIRD
THE VULTURE AS TOTEM
DO YOU THINK FLYING IN THE SKY IS MAGICAL?
SEE ALSO:
EARLY EUROPEAN TRIBES
RETURN TO:
VULTURE SHAMANISM: 10,000 YEARS AGO
ADDITIONAL SHAMAN RELATED LINKS:
POWER OF THE SHAMAN: WHERE DOES IT COME FROM, HOW DOES IT WORK?
DEATH HAD A FACE: The Specter of Death In Shamanism and Zen
AURISPICY: The Art of Divination and Casting Bones
AS WELL AS:
OBEAH: Afro-Caribbean Shamanism
WE DO NOT HAVE SHAMANS
The Case Against "Shamans" In the
North American Indigenous Cultures
Additional research from: An Updated View of the Çatal Hüyük Controversy
[NOTE: The drawings with underlined numbers were sketched by Mellaart from modern Kilims, not from wall paintings. There are no known published photographs of the actual wall paintings or painted pots depicted]
