AFP / Mafua - French archaeologists have discovered the oldest place of worship for the dugong, or sea especially dedicated to ...

PARIS (AFP) – French archaeologists have discovered the oldest place of worship dedicated to the dugong, or sea cow, is on an island north of Dubai, two research centers, said Thursday.

The shrine, probably back 3500-3200 BC, was discovered on the island of Ahab, the United Arab Emirates, 50 km (30 miles) north of Dubai time.

The French archaeological mission in the UAE and Umm al-Quwain Museum, said that in ancient official asylum on a lonely island of basic details “on the rituals of prehistoric coastal societies of the Gulf region.”

Ahab was a tuna fisherman ‘is known locally more than 6500 years, with the buildings around a pile of dugong bones in 1990.

The scientific name “Dugong dugon” still in the Gulf region, with adults growing to four meters (12 feet) in length and weigh up to 400 kilograms (880 pounds).

The shrine was originally a slaughterhouse, but the analysis showed that a carefully constructed platform on two levels, with the remains of about 40 dugongs and tools, stones and ornaments.

Archaeologists said the monument was Ahab for rituals to celebrate the great mammals and “no parallel in the Neolithic Age in other parts of the world.

Similar structures have been found off the Australian coast but only a few hundred years.

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“The sample is now at the Library of the British Geological Survey”

The fossil, estimated that 150 million years ago, was found when a stone was cracked open, revealing an inch long pocket series of black ink.

The image of the creature and the Latin name was drawn with ink.

Dr Phil Wilby of the British Geological Survey said it is an ancient animal similar to today’s squid.

“The structure is similar to that of a modern sepia ink, so that we can write to him,” he said.

“Effect Medusa”
The find was on a site that was excavated by the Victorians, where thousands of fossils from the Jurassic have been found with preserved soft tissues.
Dr. Wilby, who led the excavation, said: “We believe that these creatures were swimming around in the Jurassic period and showed the stone, shortly after his death. It ’s like the Medusa effect.”

According to experts, the possibility that thousands of animals of the region along with the companion before being poisoned by algae in water.

Remains of another species of squid were also found, that feed on carcasses of large predators attracted to them and, in turn, also died

Dr. Wilby, said: “They dissected the animals as if they were alive may be able to see the muscle fibers and cells.
“It ‘hard to imagine that something could be soft and sloppy as the ink sac in three sizes, petrified, still dark, and a rock is 150 million years.”

The sample is now in the collection of the British Geological Survey in Nottingham.
A portion of the ink sac has been sent to Yale University in the United States for a more detailed analysis of chemicals.