Archeologists have found an elaborate grave for a female shaman from 12,000 years ago in northern Israel.

The woman must have been highly regarded for her spiritual powers. The grave offerings include 50 whole tortoise shells, the pelvis of a leopard, the wing tip of a golden eagle, the tail of a cow, a bone from a wild boar - and someone else's much bigger human foot.

The woman was about 45 years old and had a spinal disability that caused her to limp or drag a foot. Ten large stones were placed on her head, pelvis and arms. This was possibly to protect the body from wild animals or because her community wanted to keep the shaman and her spirit inside the grave.

"Clearly, a great amount of time and energy was invested in the preparation, arrangement, and sealing of the grave," said Dr. Leore Grosman, who is heading the excavation at the western Galilee site.

The unrelated digital image above is "The Healer" by Eddi_07.