CHEROKEE LINEAGE Paleo-Hebrew Heritage

DECEMBER 5, 2013 JEFFERY MEANS

Amy Cox

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Cherokee Lineage: Paleo-Hebrew Heritage

In the mid-1700s, Scottish fur trader and explorer, James Adair, lived among and

observed the Cherokee. After his observations, Adair came to the conclusion that these people,

without a doubt, had paleo-Hebrew origins. Adair firmly believed that the Cherokee were one

of the Lost Tribes of Israel. Hundreds of years later, evidence had emerged that has proved

Adair’s theory extremely plausible. DNA evidence, archeological evidence, linguistic similarities,

and most conclusively—cultural similarities prove that Cherokee are indeed descendants of

ancient Israeli peoples.

Principal Chief Joe White (Sitting Owl) of the Central Band of Cherokee said, “The

Cherokee comprise one or more of the Northern Tribes of Israel.” 1 DNA test conducted on the

Central Band of Cherokee proved that this group has genetic links to Northern Israeli and

Eastern Mediterranean peoples.2 DNA studies conducted within the last year have shown that

Cherokee contain DNA that is distinct to native Egyptian, Turk, Lebanese, Hebrew, and

Mesopotamian peoples. This DNA study showed that Cherokee have only a small trace of

Asiatic (Native American) DNA and that genetically, the Cherokee are much more “Jewish” than

the typical European Jew.3

1 Maggid ben Yoseif, "Cherokee DNA finds matches in Northern Israel, and along Eastern Mediterranean

coastal regions." Torah Voice, June 2, 2010. www.torah-voice.org/CherokeeDNA.htm (accessed October

30, 2013).

2 Ibid 3 Richard Thornton, "DNA scientist claim that Cherokee are from the Middle East." Native American History Examine, January 7, 2013. http://www.examiner.com/article/dna-scientists-claim-that-cherokees-are-from-the-middle-east (accessed November 5, 2013).

2

In addition to genetic similarities, Cherokee and Ashkenazi Jews and Hasidic Jews

share many similar physical characteristics. Both Jews and Cherokee share the same

dark complexion, the same dark hair, the same dark eyes, similar eye shape, and similar

facial structure.4

The woman on the left is

Cherokee. The woman on the right is a

Hasidic Jew. Notice that each woman

has similar eye structure and color. The

width at the bridge of their noses is

also very similar. The structure of the

cheek bone is almost identical. The

hairline shows a similar seam. The

structure and shape of the jaw bone

is also very similar, as is the shape and the size of the lower lip.

James Adair was not the first (nor was he the last) to speculate that Native Americans—

particularly the Cherokee—are descendants from ancient Jews. While living among the

Cherokee, Adair noticed that the Cherokee dialect is very similar to a Paleo-Jewish language

that was nearly unrecognizable by European Jews of the day.5

4 Richard Thornton, "DNA scientist claim that Cherokee are from the Middle East." Native American History Examine, January 7, 2013. http://www.examiner.com/article/dna-scientists-claim-that-cherokees-are-from-the-middle-east (accessed November 5, 2013). 5 Ibid

Figure 2. Goga Ashkenazi—Hasidic

Jew.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/ne

ws/uk/article2943681.ece

Figure 1. Brenda Schad—Cherokee

& Choctaw.

http://www.brendaschad.org/galler

y/postcards.php?image_id=2185&s

essionid=03c9863133f4578c80d900

5644655dba

3

In 1860, archeologist David Wyrick was credited for the discovery of two stones. Both

stones, the Decalogue Stone and the Key Stone, were found ten miles south of Newark, Ohio in

an ancient Cherokee burial mound. 6 The first stone, the Key Stone, was found in June of 1860.

This stone is dated to be around 2,100-2,200 years old due to the inscriptions. The Key Stone is

somewhat acorn shaped but flat on four sides with a knob on top. Anthropologist and

archeologist believe that one would hold the stone by the knob on top and slowly spin it so that

they could read all four inscriptions.7

The stone is engraved in an ancient Hebrew langue. The four inscriptions are as follows:

1. Qedosh Qedoshim—“Holy of Holies”

2. Melek Eretz—“King of the Earth”

3. Torath Yehweh—“The Law of God”

6 "Ohio State University." September 2010. http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/batcrk.html (accessed November 2, 2013). 7 "Ohio State University." September 2010. http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/batcrk.html (accessed November 2, 2013).

Figure 3. The Ohio Keystone

http://www.econ.ohio-

state.edu/jhm/arch/keystone.gif

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4. Devor Yehweh—“The Word (or Reason) of God”8

Several months later in November of 1860, Wyrick and his team unearthed the Ohio

Decalogue Stone. The Ohio Decalogue Stone was found inside of a hollowed out sand stone

box. Archeologist believe that the box was created to protect the stone given to the way that it

was hollowed out—a perfect “lock and key” match to the stone.9

The stone is made from black limestone and is a little

under seven inches tall.10 The stone is inscribed in paleo-Hebrew

lettering and there is a bearded man carved into the face of the

stone. The wording above the man’s head identify him as

“Moshai,” this is translated to “Mosiah” or “Moses.” The block-

style Hebrew had been translated into ten do and do not

phrases—these phrases are a complete rendition of the Ten

Commandments.11

Near Los Lunas, New Mexico, another inscription of the

Ten Commandments was found at the base of Hidden

8 Ohio State University." September 2010. http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/batcrk.html (accessed November 2, 2013). 9 "Ohio State University." September 2010. http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/batcrk.html (accessed November 2, 2013). 10 Ibid 11 Ibid

Figure 4. Ohio Decalogue Stone

http://www.econ.ohio-

state.edu/jhm/arch/decalog.html

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Mountain.12 This inscription is located thirty-five miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.13

The Hidden Mountain Decalogue Tablet is written in a script that is a mix of ancient Hebrew

and Greek.

At first, there was much speculation on whether or not this stone was authentic or a

fake. Professor Frank Hibben, a New Mexico archaeologist had no doubt that the tablet and the

inscription was authentic and ancient.14 In an Albany court case, it was determined that this

tablet was indeed an authentic inscription.

Given the location of the inscription, it is believed that the base of Hidden Mountain was

a meeting place for ancient American Jews used during the Feast of the Tabernacle or

Hanukah.15 Besides

Hebrew and Greek

inscriptions, Native

American clan signs

12Steven M. Collins, "Hidden Mountain Decalogue Tablet." Steven M. Collins, 2006. http://stevenmcollins.com/html/decalogue_stone.html (accessed November 25, 2013). 13 Los Lunas 14 "Los Lunas Decalogue Stone," Archeology Outliers, July 13, 2004. http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/loslunas.html (accessed November 22, 2013). 15Steven M. Collins, "Hidden Mountain Decalogue Tablet." Steven M. Collins, 2006. http://stevenmcollins.com/html/decalogue_stone.html (accessed November 25, 2013).

Figure 5. The Los

Lunas Decalogue

Stone

http://stevenmco

llins.com/html/de

calogue_stone.ht

ml

6

are also present. Today, Hidden Mountain is a meeting ground for various Indian groups.16

During an archeological dig in Tennessee in 1889, the team came across a Cherokee

burial ground. A coffin was surfaced that had been cemented shut. Upon opening the casket,

the archeologist found an engraved stone that had been buried with the Cherokee man. The

head archeologist on the dig, Cyrus Thomas said that “without a doubt” the lettering was

definitely Cherokee.17

This stone became known as the Bat Creek Stone. The Bat Creek Stone was placed in the

Smithsonian, but it was nearly seventy years later when Henriette Mertz and Corey Ayoob,

noticed that if the inscription was inverted that it appeared to be not only Cherokee, but also

Hebrew—no matter which way the stone was held, there were distinct Cherokee letters, but

when the stone was held upside-down from its original placement, the characters were

16Steven M. Collins, "Hidden Mountain Decalogue Tablet." Steven M. Collins, 2006. http://stevenmcollins.com/html/decalogue_stone.html (accessed November 25, 2013). 17 J. Huston McCulloch, "An Annotated Transcription of the Ohio Decalogue Stone." The Epigraphic Society Occasional Papers, 1992: 56-71.

Figure 6. McCulloch

Figure 7. McCulloch

Figure 6 shows an

inscription that Jewish High

Priests would have worn on

their foreheads. Figure 7 is

the Bat Creek Stone.

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unmistakably Hebrew. The stone was examined by Cyrus Gordon, a Semitic languages scholar.

Gordon confirmed their suspicion and translated the inscription to “Holiness to the Lord,” or

“Holiness to Yahweh.” 18 What seems to be even more conclusive is that Jewish High Priests

would wear an inscription very similar to this on a band across their foreheads. There are only

two characters that are different from the two stones.

This inscription was not merely coincidence. Cherokees also had a system of high

priests. Perhaps the man who was buried with the Bat Creek Stone was a high priest. The

Cherokee practiced purification and cleanliness rituals; they even had restraints against eating

certain foods that were considered “unclean.” In addition, the Cherokee set aside a day of the

week for prayer, believed in a great flood that had once destroyed the world. The Cherokee, as

the Hebrews, call themselves “the People,” or “the People of God.”19 Cherokee had prophets,

decorated their bodies in a manner similar to the ancient Hebrews, and their belief in the

Yahweh is inseparable from the Hebrew belief in Jehovah.20

Traders recorded hearing the Cherokee chant “Ye ho wah,” and “Shiloh” in religious

ceremonies. Both of these names can be found in the Old Testament as a name for the Jewish

God. In addition to these to names, the Cherokee also knew of three additional names that the

Jews had used for Jehovah. These names were translated to “Head of All Things,” “the Sun of

18 J. Huston McCulloch, "An Annotated Transcription of the Ohio Decalogue Stone." The Epigraphic Society Occasional Papers, 1992: 56-71. 19 Chief Charles Jahtlohi Rogers, “Religion.” Cherokee Discovery, 2012. http://www.cherokeediscovery.com/religion.html (accessed November 4, 2013). 20 William G. McLoughin and Walter H. Conser, Jr. "The First Man was Red--Cherokee Responses to the Debate over Indian Origins, 1760-1860." American Quarterly, 1989: 243-264.

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Righteousness,” and “the Morning Star.” The term “halleluiah” was used during religious

gatherings.21

There are several accounts of the Cherokee creation story. Each account is a little

different yet, in each, there are striking similarities found to the Hebrew creation story. In the

first creation story, the order of the Creation follows that of the account recorded in the

Hebrew Bible or Torah. First the world was created, then the plants, then the animals, then

man, and finally woman with the command to procreate. In this account, the number seven

appears several times, as it does in the Bible.22

One account tells of a god with three faces.23 Another separates the gods into three

distinct beings, being one in purpose, and calls them eternal and perfect in every way. The man

in this story is constructed from the “dirt” of the earth, much like Adam (the name Adam is

believed to be derived from a Hebrew word meaning “to be red”) is created from the “dust” of

the earth. In the Cherokee creation story, woman is created from one of the “red-man’s” ribs. 24

21 Chief Charles Jahtlohi Rogers, “Religion.” Cherokee Discovery, 2012. http://www.cherokeediscovery.com/religion.html (accessed November 4, 2013). 22 Cherokee Indians: Story of Creation. "How the World was Made: from Cherokee lore." Cherokee Indians: Story of Creation. n.d. (accessed November 4, 2013) 23 Chief Charles Jahtlohi Rogers, “Religion.” Cherokee Discovery, 2012. http://www.cherokeediscovery.com/religion.html (accessed November 4, 2013). 24 William G. McLoughin and Walter H. Conser, Jr. "The First Man was Red--Cherokee Responses to the Debate over Indian Origins, 1760-1860." American Quarterly, 1989: 243-264.

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This story continues saying that at the beginning, there were no plants or animals that

were poisonous,25 but things started to get worse and eventually, the First Corn Woman

brought death to the Red Man when she was bitten by an evil snake.26

Aspects of the Cherokee wedding ceremony mirrors the Jewish ceremony. At the

conclusion of the wedding, the newly-married couple smashes a vase. In a Jewish wedding, a

glass is smashed at the close. Cherokee carried sacred artifacts into battle with them. They

believe that this would serve as a source of protection in the battle. In comparison, Jews carried

sacred artifacts like the Arc of the Covenant with them.27

Cherokee celebrated a “Bonding Bush Ceremony,” this festival was celebrated in the Fall

over the course of eight days for the purpose of giving thanks. The participants feasted and

danced around a sacred fire. This festival is comparable to Hanukah, 28 and the sacred fire can

be compared to the Jewish Menorah.29

James Adair observed that the Cherokee “do not pay the least perceivable adoration to

any images, or to dead persons; neither to the celestial luminaries, nor evil spirits, nor any

25 William G. McLoughin and Walter H. Conser, Jr. "The First Man was Red--Cherokee Responses to the Debate over Indian Origins, 1760-1860." American Quarterly, 1989: 243-264. 26 Daniel Saddox, "Early Colonial Accounts Show Cherokee Hebrews." Cherokee Origins-Jewish Indians, 2007. (accessed November 6, 2013). 27 Daniel Saddox, "Early Colonial Accounts Show Cherokee Hebrews." Cherokee Origins-Jewish Indians, 2007. (accessed November 6, 2013). 28 Ibid 29 PHILTAR, "Cherokee Religion." Division of Religion and Philosophy: University of Cumbria, 1999. http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/nam/cherok.html (accessed November 2, 2013).

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crated being whatsoever. They are utter strangers to all the gestures practiced in their religious

rites.”30

Cherokee had a belief that there is a heaven above and a hell below. They believed that

God lived above and that if they obeyed the commandments of Yahweh, they would get the

opportunity to live with Him after they passed from mortality. Cherokee claim that they had

knowledge of God and of the Devil long before Christianity was brought to them. 31

Even the way the Cherokee responded to the cardinal directions hints towards Middle-

Eastern lineage. To the Cherokee, the “east is said to be the direction of triumph[.]”32 They

believe that life giving power comes from the east with the rising of the sun.33 Also, the

Cherokee worship building faced east, so the worshipers could have their backs to the west.34

Likewise, Jews and Christians also look to the east as a source of light and power.

Christians look to the east for the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jews look to the east for the

coming of the Messiah.35

In One Vast Winter Count, author Collin Calloway mentions the horror that Indians felt

when they were forced to move west. This fear was not merely a fear of relocation. In fact, for

30 James Adair, “History of the American Indians,” (University of Alabama Press, 2005), 118 31 Chief Charles Jahtlohi Rogers, “Religion.” Cherokee Discovery, 2012. http://www.cherokeediscovery.com/religion.html (accessed November 4, 2013). 32 PHILTAR, "Cherokee Religion." Division of Religion and Philosophy: University of Cumbria, 1999. http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/nam/cherok.html (accessed November 2, 2013). 33 PHILTAR, "Cherokee Religion." Division of Religion and Philosophy: University of Cumbria, 1999. http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/nam/cherok.html (accessed November 2, 2013). 34 Daniel Saddox, "Early Colonial Accounts Show Cherokee Hebrews." Cherokee Origins-Jewish Indians, 2007. (accessed November 6, 2013). 35 Huston Smith, “The World's Religions,” New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.

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some groups, the idea of moving west was in and of itself a thing to be feared. Ancient

Egyptians buried their dead to the west—they called their dead westerners. For them, going

west meant that they were dying.36 Historical and Biblical accounts tell of Hebrew slaves in

Egypt. It is not farfetched for one to believe that these Jewish slaves brought Egyptian beliefs

and customs with them once they gained their freedom.

The connections between Cherokee and Hebrews are more than coincidence. Cherokee

and Hebrews share similar beliefs and traditions. Oral histories mirror one another. But if

stories are not convincing enough, archeological evidence proves that Cherokee at the very

least had interactions and exchanges with ancient Hebrews. What’s more, there is DNA

evidence proving that the Cherokee genetically are Hebrew. In the 1700s, Cherokee origin was

just a theory. In 2013, James Adair’s theory is becoming more and more plausible with each

DNA test and archeological excavation.

36 Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art through the Ages. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2010.

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Bibliography

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Calloway, Collin G. One Vast Winter Count: The Native America West before Lewis and Clark. Lincoln,

Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 2003.

Cherokee Heritage Project. Genealogy. August 30, 2010. www.werelate.org (accessed November 2,

2013).

Cherokee Indians: Story of Creation. "How the World was Made: from Cherokee lore." Cherokee Indians:

Story of Creation. n.d. (accessed November 4, 2013).

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http://stevenmcollins.com/html/decalogue_stone.html (accessed November 25, 2013).

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Occasional Papers, 1992: 56-71.

—. "Los Lunas Decalogue Stone ." Archeology Outliers. July 13, 2004. http://www.econ.ohio-

state.edu/jhm/arch/loslunas.html (accessed November 22, 2013).

—. "Ohio State University." September 2010. http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/batcrk.html

(accessed November 2, 2013).

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http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/nam/cherok.html (accessed November 2, 2013).

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Smith, Huston. The World's Religions. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.

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Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1962.

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William G. McLoughin and Walter H. Conser, jr. "The First Man was Red--Cherokee Responses to the

Debate over Indian Origins, 1760-1860." American Quarterly, 1989: 243-264.

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