Egyptian pharaohs were often depicted with carved vultures amongst their royal regalia. In ancient Egypt, the bird was chosen as the emblem of the kingdom of Upper Egypt. The dead are laid out in the open to be consumed by vultures, a practice known as “sky burials”. Zoroastrians and Tibetan Buddhists continue this practice to this day. Some ancient cultures also used vultures as an alternative to burying their dead. Shamans are also shown leading rituals dressed as vultures. At Çatal Häyäk, frescoes showed vultures accompanying the dead into the afterlife. Other ancient sites in Turkey and Syria show evidence of the place given to vultures in cults relating to death.
This symbolism is also seen in other settlements from the neolithic period. And it was likely linked to ideas of death and rebirth.
But it seems clear that vultures held an important status. Little is yet known about the civilization that lived at Göbekli Tepe. These include many depictions of birds, and especially vultures. It includes ancient limestone pillars on which numerous reliefs of animals are carved. The fascinating settlement of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey dates back to between 10,000 and 8,000 BC. Vultures were held to have special meaning from the earliest times.
