Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 3 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 1:07:26 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Tel Azekah is a significant location in the biblical account of the battle between David and Goliath One Israeli family got the surprise of a lifetime when their three and a half year old daughter discovered an ancient treasure while on a trip to Tel Azekah Ziv Nitzan from Moshav Ramot Meir found an ancient seal in the form of a scarab intricately crafted objects that originated in ancient Egypt described the discovery of the ancient find “We were walking along the path when Ziv bent down she picked up this particular one,” she recalled I called my parents over to see the beautiful stone and that’s when we realized we had stumbled upon an archaeological find We immediately reported it to the Israel Antiquities Authority.”  as it is illegal in Israel to keep items like the scarab without reporting them to the Antiquities Authority – even keeping small shards of pottery is prohibited the Judah Region District Archaeologist representing the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) commended Ziv and her family for promptly reporting the discovery and presented the young girl with a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship and there is an exhibition planned at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel Nitzan’s special find will be displayed alongside other artifacts from the eras of Egypt and Canaan many of which will be presented to the public for the first time identified the item discovered by Ziv as a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age scarabs served both as seals and as amulets Some feature symbols or inscriptions that reflect religious beliefs or social status.” The dung beetle was regarded as sacred by the ancient Egyptians as the tiny insect crafts a ball from a dung pile Its name in Egyptian derives from the verb “to come into being” or “to be created.” This is because the Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator Tel Azekah is a treasure trove of hidden artifacts as well as a place of revelation and stories from ancient times that reveal ancient cultures and findings from the Judahite Kingdom including city walls and agricultural installations The site is also recognized as a significant location in the biblical account of the battle between David and Goliath as mentioned in the Book of Samuel (I Samuel 17:1) director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological dig came to meet Ziv and her family at the Tel He and his team have been excavating that area for nearly 15 years He told them that Tel Azekah had once been a part of a thriving city during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages “The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period,” Lipschitz explained The IAA said that Israeli Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu reminds the public that “even children can be a part of discovering history.” “The seal that little Ziv found during a family trip to Tel Azekah connects us to a grand story that of the ancient civilizations that lived in this land thousands of years ago,” he added “Ziv and her family deserve praise for handing over the find to the National Treasures of the state of Israel,” says Eli Escusido Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority we will present impressive items for the first time and evidence of the Egyptian cultural influence in the Land of Israel – and everyone is invited!”  For more details, please visit the Israel Antiquities Authority website The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel archaeologists reveal enigmatic monumental 'white' structure from Canaanite era and its storage for used religious artifacts 2024Get email notification for articles from Ariel David FollowNov 6 2024Archaeologists digging at Tel Shimron in northern Israel are revealing a monumental structure from which they have recovered a vast cache of rare cultic objects used some 3,800 years ago by the ancient Canaanites precious imported ceramics and two bull statuettes representing Canaanite deities are just the most spectacular finds that emerged from a huge dump of religious artifacts located at the top of the recently-discovered monument Open gallery viewCeramics and a bronze bull (or calf) found in the favissa of Tel ShimronCredit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Sasha FlitThe large structure an ancient settlement in the Jezreel Valley Archaeologists from Wheaton College and Tel Aviv University who have been investigating the site are still perplexed over the meaning and function of the massive structure which would have once been visible from miles away but the idea that it's a monument is becoming clearer and clearer," says Prof an archaeologist at Wheaton who co-heads the dig together with Tel Aviv's Dr The researchers are due to present their initial findings at an archaeology conference on Thursday at Tel Aviv University and Master spoke to Haaretz ahead of the event a mound formed by the accumulation of layers of human habitation over millennia It was occupied at multiple points from the Bronze Age to modern times but the city appears to have reached its peak size during the Middle Bronze Age it was a major Canaanite city with extensive trading connections It is also to this period that the mysterious monument is dated The cone-shaped monument rose 5-6 meters atop the peak of the mound and its builders clearly wanted to draw attention to it The ramparts surrounding the rest of the site are covered in dark basalt chips while the cone at the top was covered in white chalk "We are dealing with something that's very much an intentional monumental thing that was designed to be seen from very far away," he says "We are still trying to figure out the political implications and why it was originally built." Open gallery viewThe mud-brick arch found in Tel ShimronCredit: Ariel David the team conducted a limited excavation with a small group of people due to the ongoing Gaza war It was then that they fully explored an adjacent space to the previously discovered archway This was a room that the monument's builders had turned into a 'favissa,' a Latin term describing a storage space for cultic artifacts and votive objects no longer in use This large 68-square-meter space was filled to the brim with one of the richest collections of Middle Bronze Age artifacts found in the Levant The roofless favissa initially featured massive mudbrick walls one up to three meters thick transforming the room into a large open-air pit Open gallery viewThe favissa at Tel Shimron The hole in the upper right corner of the room is a probe by archaeologists in search of earlier layers.Credit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Sasha FlitWe don't know why this was done but the locals then used the space to dump the remains of religious ceremonies that took place nearby Among the vessels there were rare miniaturized versions of jugs and bowls There was also an elegantly decorated imported jug from Crete only the third known piece of Minoan pottery found in Israel Open gallery viewMiniaturized jugs and cups found in the favissa and a seven-cupped ritual bowl unearthed in the archway passage.Credit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Sasha Flit Open gallery viewFragments of an imported vessel from Crete found in the favissaCredit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Kim Walton"This is exceedingly rare and such a distant connection shows the power of the trade routes running through Tel Shimron in that period when it was a major urban center with the power to create such a monument," Master says At this point one could be reminded of the old joke about archaeologists interpreting everything they can't explain as signs of cultic activity But there are good reasons to believe the ancient trove found at Shimron is not just a random dump of Middle Bronze domestic garbage The types of pottery vessels are typical of what is found in temples Initial analysis of the animal bones also shows that many burned at very high temperatures that would have destroyed any meat on them suggesting they were not for domestic consumption And then of course there is the matter of the two bronze bull figurines that emerged from the favissa These are generally interpreted as cultic representations of El – the head of the Canaanite pantheon – or of the storm god Baal Open gallery viewThe bull/calf statuette and fragments of a possible ceramic shrine that housed the figurineCredit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Kim WaltonThere is no stratification within the favissa suggesting that the objects were dumped there in a single ceremony or in multiple events very close in time to each other Very few of the pottery vessels could be fully restored suggesting that the ceramics were broken elsewhere and only some of the sherds were dumped in the pit Why this was done is another open question but it does match finds at a similar favissa from this period that was unearthed at Ebla Open gallery viewFragments of a second bull statuette found in the favissa at Tel ShimronCredit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Kim WaltonThe researchers have barely scratched the surface of what the favissa and the larger monument that contained it can tell us about the urban development and religious practices of the ancient Canaanites in this period "In terms of religion we don't have anything like this there are elements we find elsewhere but this is on a scale that we don't have anywhere else in this region," Master says the construction of the monument poses several mysteries including the accesses to the favissa and the previously discovered archway were filled in so quickly after its construction it was this act that likely helped preserve the fragile mudbrick architecture for nearly 4,000 years Open gallery viewAerial view of part of the monumental complex at Tel Shimron between the staircasesCredit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Andrew WrightHallowed ground the archaeologists are wondering why the inhabitants of Shimron built this towering structure in the first place The closest parallel to it is the so-called White Monument at the ancient settlement of Tel Banat (some 600 years before the structure at Tel Shimron) this too was a conical mudbrick monument covered in gypsum to give it a white sheen that made it stick out in the landscape The Tel Banat structure contained numerous burials and some researchers consider it the oldest known war memorial It is possible that the monument at Tel Shimron also had a funerary function but we will only know for sure if future excavations uncover a burial there that the monument had a political function serving as a border marker or a sign of ownership and power over the region Open gallery viewAerial view of the partially excavated monument at the top of Tel Shimron The favissa is in the lower right of the complexCredit: Tel Shimron Excavations/Andrew WrightAll we know for now is that the spaces within the structure were used for a very limited time The superimposed remains from these multiple occupations have been found across the tel Yet no one ever built anything at the top of the mound The Middle Bronze Age finds were the first remains the archaeologists encountered beneath the surface We don't know why subsequent inhabitants ignored what would normally be considered prime real estate and whether this was done out of expedience or reverence for the strange ancient monument that was left over from a distant past the conical structure that artificially raised the height of Tel Shimron blended into the hill although Master says you can still spot it today from across the Jezreel Valley It is likely that many more discoveries await the archaeologists who are eager to continue exploring this ancient structure in the hope of solving some of its many mysteries Here’s where you’ll get traditional hard news coverage on NewCanaanite.com The New Canaan Beautification League’s plan to convert a shed in the Lee Garden—itself constructed using parts of the Lees’ family home including the fireplace and the hardwood floors—into a barn for the organization’s volunteers began as Carol Seldin’s vision “our budget only allowed for a bare bones renovation,” Malling told more than 75 people gathered Saturday at the 2.7-acre garden on Chichester Road on a clear Carol made her final wish,” Malling said during a dedication of the lovingly renovated shed as the ‘Carol West Seldin Barn.’ Malling continued: “She asked that all donations in her memory be given to the organization that she loved As I thought about the best way to honor her deep commitment to NCBL my focus was to make some renovations or improvements to the Lee shed—to go the last mile for Carol ‘If Carol’s name is attached to this project it should be done right.’ Carol’s vision and Peter’s unqualified support created the Carol West Seldin Barn that we dedicate in her honor today On behalf of all of the New Canaan Beautification League volunteers A certified master gardener and past president of the NCBL whose motto “Gardens are for sharing,” is printed on a plaque inside the renovated barn 2024 following a courageous battle with lymphoma The following property transfer(s) were recorded recently in the Town Clerk’s office For more information about each property from the assessor To get the history of a New Canaan street name He had been battling MDS for ten years and recovering from a bone marrow transplant in October 2024 His kind and stoic nature always shone through to Aggie Margaretha Heyerdahl and Knut Kielland in Oslo Aggie Kielland Blom (Fredrik) and Brit Knutsdatter Kielland Growing up surrounded by family instilled a deep sense of belonging and a love for his family’s Norwegian heritage Todd Sell developed the idea for Resource360 soon after he started renovating properties The New Canaan resident found himself bringing together a number of carefully vetted professional resources for the work and thought “It would be really valuable for a lot of people to have a place where you can tap somebody that actually has done it before and then also has all the resources to help you do it,” he said “And it’s just a place where you can come and ask questions,” Sell told NewCanaanite.com on Wednesday afternoon from inside 99 Main St. whose most recent long-term tenant was Family Britches the vacant commercial space will feature a retail area near the front for both kitchen and bath with large sections for cabinetry and vanities such as property management and interior design and professional referrals for suppliers and trades such as painters “My vision for this place is to be a one-stop shop for whenever you need something for your house,” Sell said on April 26 received a report of a fight between two landscaping workers on Clearview Lane Team “Sunshine for Scarlett” — named for 14-year-old Scarlett MacAllister a standout dancer at the New Canaan Dance Academy—will be walking in Sunday’s “New Canaan Great Strides” fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Supporters are asked to arrive at 9:15 a.m It will start with a special performance by Scarlett’s dance team Reproduction of material from any NewCanaanite.com pages without written permission is strictly prohibited Newshound LLC is a registered LLC in the state of Connecticut Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A 3-year-old girl in Israel found an ancient Canaanite amulet shaped like a scarab while she was out walking with her family A 3-year-old girl who was walking with her family along a trail in Israel unexpectedly found a piece of history: a 3,800-year-old scarab amulet Ziv Nitzan discovered the scarab in March when her family was visiting Tel Azekah a historical site that was inhabited as early as the Bronze Age While strolling along a dirt path scattered with gravel "Out of the 7,000 stones around her, she picked up one stone," Omer Nitzan, Ziv's older sister, said in a translated video released by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) "Then she brushed off the sand and saw that something was different about it." Omer called over their parents to look at the "beautiful stone," and the family reported the finding to the IAA soon after Archaeologists later determined that it was a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age. According to ancient texts, Canaan included parts of modern-day Israel "Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets," Daphna Ben-Tor an expert in ancient amulets and seals at The Israel Museum that reflect religious beliefs or status." Related: 8-year-old girl unearths Stone Age dagger by her school in Norway Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox The find also highlights the close cultural connections between ancient Egypt and Canaan Scarab amulets are small, ornate objects that are designed to look like dung beetles (Scarabaeus sacer). The practice of modeling amulets after these insects originated among the ancient Egyptians who viewed these beetles as sacred symbols of new life Dung beetles are known for creating and rolling balls of dung, which the Egyptians associated with their sun god rolling the sun disk across the sky, according to The Israel Museum The ancient misconception that dung beetles could spontaneously reproduce also prompted the Egyptians to associate these insects with Khepri —Rock found by a 6-year-old on a beach is actually a 50,000-year-old Neanderthal ax —2,100-year-old farmstead in Israel found 'frozen in time' after owners disappeared Archaeologists have been excavating Tel Azekah for nearly 15 years, Oded Lipschits a professor and director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological dig "The excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands," Lipschits said "The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period." The scarab will go on public display with other artifacts from the Egyptian and Canaanite eras at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Ancient Egyptians drew the Milky Way on coffins and tombs, linking them to sky goddess, study finds 18th-century monk's anus was stuffed with wood chips and fabric to mummify him, researchers discover View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface) Culture and religion are two very powerful forces that have always inspired artists, and Aya Akl can tell you about it with her latest 3D image of Anat, a "femme fatale type Canaanite goddess, honoured as a protector and agent of vengeance." Engrossed in ancient Levantine iconography and costumes, Akl created the goddess in her signature pencil drawing-like style using ZBrush and Blender. 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Canaanites used scarabs designed to look like dung beetles as seals and amulets during Middle Bronze Age I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Archaeologists have confirmed that a “beautiful stone” picked up by a child in Israel’s Tel Azekah area is actually a Bronze Age scarab amulet made over 3,800 years ago. Ziv Nitzan, 3, found the stone during a stroll along a dirt path that had gravel spread on it, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement Then she brushed off the sand and saw that something was different about it," Omer Nitzan “When she rubbed it and removed sand from it, we saw that something was different about it. I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone and we realised we’d discovered an archaeological find! We immediately reported this to the Israel Antiquities Authority.” The Antiquities Authority determined the stone to be a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age. Canaanites were an ancient people that lived throughout the Levant, with strong ties to Egypt the Canaanites used scarabs designed to look like dung beetles as seals and amulets have been widely found in the region’s ancient graves as well as public and private buildings The practice of using symbols of the revered beetles originated in Egypt. Ancient Egyptians associated dung beetles rolling balls of dung with their Sun god rolling the “Sun disk” across the celestial sphere. In fact, even the insect’s name in Egyptian derives from the verb “to be created”, as ancient Egyptians viewed the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of god. Archaeologists have been conducting excavations at Tel Azekah for over 15 years, finding numerous artefacts that shed light on life in the region thousands of years ago. The finds include ancient city walls and agricultural structures from the Judahite Kingdom. “Excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages, here in Tel Azekah thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean lowlands,” said Oded Lipschits, director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological dig. “The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here, which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies was of the same national identity as those among whom she lived In part one of our study into Rahab’s identity we examined whether she was actually a prostitute concluding that the biblical account does unambiguously assert her as such Frank Spina’s The Faith of the Outsider: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story for additional evidence Though the Bible is not explicit about Rahab’s heritage Spina is unambiguous: “It is hardly an exaggeration to say that Rahab is the quintessential outsider in the whole book of Joshua Is the matter of Rahab’s cultural identity that simple and settled Was this resident of Jericho really a Canaanite—or was she something else entirely Is there any reason to question her identity Spina emphasizes the importance of the “account of Rahab becoming part of Israel though she was a quintessential Canaanite,” writing: Rahab and her family are not only kept alive when the Israelites attack Jericho Rahab (and her family) lived forever after that as part of Israel—“to this day: ….” Though Rahab is presented as a quintessential Canaanite she nevertheless ends up in the land that yhvh has promised to Israel Yet there are certain peculiarities in the account that provoke the question as to just how “quintessentially Canaanite” Rahab really was One is her rather incredible confession to the Israelite spies in Joshua 2 which reads in part: “I know that the Lord hath given you the land … In his book Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism Joshua Berman elaborates on Rahab’s confession in full noting “elements of terminology and motifs from the Ten Commandments [that] are also tightly woven into her speech.” Berman concludes that these are elements a Canaanite harlot could not have known and thus the story must have been subjected to some form of editorializing The book of Joshua could have presented a “historically accurate” version of the story [of Rahab’s confession] But the story would have been greatly impoverished It would have told us exactly what happened and the manner in which things were precisely said It would have failed to give us the primary message: that Rahab was a righteous woman and thus fully worthy of being spared the fate of the other Canaanites It is precisely the artifice of her monologue the embroidery layered upon the base facts of the story that gives us the truest presentation of events: Rahab was worthy of being saved … [W]e come away with the true lesson of her actions But is it sufficient to say that Rahab’s speech which contained some degree of understanding or exposure to Israelite religion Spina also notes the peculiarity of her testimony If all one had to go on was Rahab’s use of vocabulary and phraseology in her confession one would have to conclude that she is an Israelite of the first order It is not even a stretch to say that this woman might have been a strong applicant for a job teaching Israelite catechism has gone a long way toward transforming herself into an Israelite insider capable of making an exemplary Israelite statement of faith Her recitation comes across as a sort of Israelite “Apostles’ Creed.” The narration makes no effort to elaborate on how Rahab has acquired this knowledge … [T]he narration seems clearly and boldly to present her as a confessing Israelite her occupation as a prostitute and her status as a representative Canaanite notwithstanding the epitome of a catechumen thoroughly schooled in all the relevant Israelites texts and concepts But what about this Israelite law—the Torah—that Rahab’s speech so vividly encapsulates There are a number of restrictions within it with direct implications to the cultural identity of Rahab Notice Deuteronomy 7:1-2: “When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it and shall cast out many nations before thee seven nations greater and mightier than thou; and when the Lord thy God shall deliver them up before thee and thou shalt smite them; thou shalt make no covenant with them nor show mercy unto them; neither shalt thou make marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.” mercy and marriages—all expressly forbidden with the Canaanites Yet in the case of the conquest of Jericho the Israelite spies both covenanted with Rahab and her family Rahab married within the Israelite community Richard Bauckham’s 1995 journal article “Tamar’s Ancestry and Rahab’s Marriage: Two Problems in the Matthean Genealogy,” he addresses the lack of other known earlier existing genealogies making mention of Rahab as mother of Boaz stating that this still does “not mean that Matthew was original in making Rahab an ancestor of David For the inclusion of Rahab in the genealogy of the Messiah to have carried any weight … her marriage [to Salmon] must surely have been an already accepted exegetical tradition … the tantalizingly fragmentary Qumran text 4Q549 [circa 2nd century b.c.e.] which evidently concerned the genealogies of members of the tribes of Judah and Levi in the Exodus period and after shows that there certainly were genealog[ies] … which have now been lost.” Later Jewish tradition maintains that Rahab married an Israelite prince (a common rabbinic interpretation is that she married Joshua himself) this marriage stands in stark contrast to the mandate in Deuteronomy 7 (and Joshua’s own warning in Joshua 23:12) to not marry a Canaanite can this be reconciled with Rahab as the “quintessential Canaanite” It is for these reasons that Isabel Hill Elder posited in Far Above Rubies (1957) that Rahab was actually an Israelite. In part one we critiqued her attempt to reframe the biblical references to Rahab not as a harlot but instead as a “widow” and concluded that this reinterpretation categorically does not match the biblical or historical data (despite Elder’s personal disapproval of this “obnoxious appellation”) But on the subject of determining Rahab’s identity Elder’s position is certainly understandable on the basis of 1 Chronicles 7: This fascinating passage describes certain Israelites—Ephraimites—who remained in the land of Canaan while the bulk of the Israelite population was in Egypt Elder posited Rahab as having descended from this tribal division “I know that Jehovah hath given you the land.” Not only in her use of the memorial name but in her knowledge of the great land covenant does Rahab prove herself to be an Israelite though her ancestors for eight or nine generations had been separated from the main body of Israel It is this fact which makes Rahab anxious to be assured that when the conquest does take place she and her kindred will be secured against the fate of the iniquitous and idolatrous Canaanites and so was brought into the exclusive and royal family from which the house of David was built (Matthew 1:5) No woman of questionable character would have been admitted to this divinely protected royal enclosure for marriage with a Canaanite was strictly forbidden (Deuteronomy 7:1-3) Identifying Rahab as an Israelite would solve these issues presented above and would provide an answer for her rather remarkable speech to the spies Yet this conclusion presents other questions requiring further explanation does Rahab say to the Israelites that “the Lord hath given you the land”—why not “us” Why does she say that “your terror is fallen upon us” she says: “And as soon as we had heard it [the news of the Israelite defeat of the Amorites] neither did there remain any more spirit in any man she separates herself with this terminology numbering herself among the “other” in the language of an outsider Consider also Joshua 6:23: After Rahab’s immediate family is brought out of the ruins of Jericho by the Israelites—her father sisters and brothers—“they set them without the camp of Israel.” Why While there are various conceivable answers to these questions these passages support the conclusion that Rahab was an outsider to the Israelite community Yet there remain the aforementioned problems in identifying her as a Canaanite McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia concludes: “[S]ome [rabbis] give out that she was not a Canaanite but of some other Gentile race and was only a sojourner in Jericho” (emphasis added throughout) there is an intriguing alternative option I would like to propose—one that I believe presents a satisfying solution to the general question of Rahab’s heritage A step toward this solution is highlighted in the abovementioned paper of Prof He argues that Matthew’s Salmon-Rahab connection did not come from extra-biblical tradition but was in fact derived from a genealogical list contained within the Hebrew Bible itself a peculiarity of the name “Salmon” must be explained While this is the way his name is often given in translation in the Hebrew Bible it is actually given more often as Salma (as in Ruth 4:20 and 1 Chronicles 2) The first part of 1 Chronicles 2 describes this direct lineage of David noting Salma as his great-great grandfather This same name Salma again pops up at the end of the chapter as a patriarch of those dwelling in Bethlehem (This would be consistent with the description of the father of Boaz; Boaz was “from Bethlehem”—Ruth 2:4.) Note the final two verses of 1 Chronicles 2: “Salma’s descendants: Bethlehem and the families of scribes who lived in Jabez—​the Tirathites These are the Kenites who came from Hammath the father of Rechab’s family” (verses 54-55; csb) The order of these genealogical verses—how they are to be read and which names are place-names or personal names—is highly debated Could this Rechab be one and the same as Rahab Professor Bauckham believes this is the source of Matthew’s reference to Salmon and Rahab: “The exegetical basis for Rahab’s marriage to Salma should be sought … in 1 Chronicles 2:54-55 The name for Rahab is slightly different to the form found in Joshua by a single Hebrew letter: Joshua’s רחב (Rahab) versus Chronicles’s רכב (Rechab—note that the vowels are later supplied markings the guttural כ and ח consonants produce near-identical sounds and can be readily mistaken for one another Such slight difference in spelling would be entirely unsurprising especially if transliterating a non-Hebrew name post-exilic Persian-period work; numerous names are spelled slightly differently to their equivalents found in earlier biblical books (Even the name David is spelled differently in Chronicles as compared to the books of Samuel and Kings.) Salma’s own name throughout this chapter is spelled slightly differently to the Salma variant found in the book of Ruth (שלמא versus שלמה the New Testament contains two variant spellings of her name (Ῥαχάβ Josephus contains another variant Greek transliteration entirely Bauckham believes Matthew’s slightly stronger transliteration Ῥαχάβ (Rachab) is evidence of direct derivation from this slightly stronger spelling in 1 Chronicles 2:55 This is in contrast to the slightly softer transliteration of the regular spelling of Rahab’s name elsewhere in the Greek New Testament (as Ῥαὰβ) Professor Bauckham highlights some of the different ways of reading and interpreting this genealogical passage at the end of 1 Chronicles 2 Despite a typical interpretation that the Salma at the start of the chapter (relating to David’s ancestry) and the Salma at the end (relating to Rechab) refer to two different individuals “Jewish exegetes of the New Testament period … [likely] would have identified the Salma of 2:11 with the Salma of 2:51 In fact this identification is made in the Targum to Ruth 4:20.” This equivocation is unsurprising given the names for Salma in this single chapter are spelled the exact same way (שלמא) and are found as such nowhere else in the Bible—making the odds that 1 Chronicles 2 is referring to two entirely different “Salmas” in such proximity extremely unlikely Bauckham then states that despite the Septuagint Greek rendering, a “Jewish exegete reading 2:50-51 as in the MT [Masoretic Text] could have found no indication of Salma’s parentage and therefore would the more easily have identified him with the Salma of 2:11 that the Salma of 2:54 is the ancestor of David would be confirmed by the fact that after the obscure notes of Salma’s descendants (2:54-55) the genealogy of David continues (3:1-24).” identifying this Salma as one and the same as David’s ancestor and this Rechab as one and the same as Rahab opens up an interesting possible window into her cultural connection: It would link her to Rahab as a Kenite would be an intriguing solution to our question It would still classify her as an outsider—but importantly And this identification brings with it perhaps the most striking and suitable political and religious association possible The Kenites were an Abrahamic desert tribe of the southern Levant were Kenites (Judges 1:16; 4:11)—notably his father-in-law This friendly tribe became somewhat intertwined with the Israelite body There is the account of the delegation visiting the Israelites encamped at Mount Sinai (Exodus 18) and later guiding the Israelites through part of their desert journey (Numbers 10:29-32) The Kenites ultimately became established in the southern Negev desert territory adjoining the tribe of Judah (Judges 1:16) Note also the infamous account of “Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite,” who achieved infamy in killing the Israelite oppressor Sisera with a tent-peg (Judges 4) The level of favor between the Israelites and Kenites is perhaps best summed up in a statement from King Saul in preparation for his attack against the Kenite-neighboring Amalekite tribe: “And Saul said unto the Kenites: ‘Go lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites” (1 Samuel 15:6) Such a close connection has even led to a certain opinion in scholarship known as the “Kenite Hypothesis”—that the Israelite religion itself was influenced or derived from the Kenites (in part through Moses’s relationship with Jethro) but it nevertheless makes the point that these were a people closely connected to the Israelites It’s also a tribe with an apparent geographical connection to Jericho Judges 1:16 states that at the time of the Israelite entrance into Canaan went up out of the city of palm-trees with the children of Judah.” The term “city of palm trees” is synonymous with Jericho (see Deuteronomy 34:3 and 2 Chronicles 28:15) The presence of certain Kenites in or around the well-watered environs of Jericho could explain why a Kenite Rahab ended up in the city the rescue of her family and a marriage into the tribe of Judah (with a prince of that tribe Salma/Salmon) would aptly explain why these Kenites elected to travel “with the children of Judah” from Jericho into the Judean desert setting themselves up as neighbors to this particular Israelite tribe (Judges 1:16) the territories mentioned at the end of 1 Chronicles 2—in association with “Salma,” “Rechab” and “the Kenites”—match up with where these Kenites settled even for those who may dispute the equivocation of Rahab and Rechab in 1 Chronicles 2 the same Rahab-the-Kenite conclusion may be drawn from the presence of Kenites near this “city of palm trees” and their interesting decision to continue on with Salmon’s tribe of Judah This explanation would justify the legality of the marriage between Salmon to Rahab not as between an Israelite and a Canaanite nor as between an Israelite and an Israelite (on the basis of Rahab as an “other”) but as between an Israelite and an Abrahamic Kenite This fits with McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia’s assertion that “some [rabbis] give out that she was not a Canaanite but of some other Gentile race and was only a sojourner in Jericho.” And of further interest is her name: “Rahab,” while not a typical Israelite name found throughout history it is a relatively common name found in the Arab world (رحاب Rihab—our own midwife nurse here in Jerusalem is so named) This name is of the same derivation as the biblical word with the meaning generally given as reflecting “vastness.” And our conclusion here would even open up a question into how willing the biblical Rahab was in her profession Jericho is often understood to have been more of a Canaanite military station or a city with at least more of a military emphasis—rather than a bustling metropolis with citizens of all walks of life (This is in part due to the comparatively small size of the ancient tel of the city proper—roughly an acre.) Robert Boling notes to this end the “immemorial symbiosis between military service and bawdyhouse.” One wonders if Rahab had been goaded by the military rule into this profession within their city it would account for why she shows no allegiance to it the two spies sent by Joshua came to her house they found themselves under the roof of one who was friendly to their nation.” Could this bit of providential friendship have come not just because she was not an ordinary member of the Canaanite population but also because she was from arguably the most friendly tribe to the Israelite nation the promise of the spies—that “when the Lord giveth us the land … we will deal kindly and truly with thee” and with “all thy father’s household”—reads rather similar to the promise made by Moses to this same people (Numbers 10:29-32) this Kenite association would explain the level of religious knowledge Rahab demonstrates implicit within the language of Joshua 2—a knowledge that a member of the Sinai-familiar Moses-related Kenite tribe would have been privy to—information that a Kenite Rahab could have known was the biblical Rahab’s cultural identity This is a question ultimately for the reader to weigh and decide what is perhaps most striking about Rahab is just how un-”quintessentially Canaanite” she really is Early this past March, during a family trip to Tel Azeka, near Beit Shemesh, 3.5-year-old Ziv Nitzan from Moshav Ramot Meir found an ancient scarab amulet, about 3,800 years old. “We were walking along the path, and then Ziv bent down – and out of all the stones around her, she picked up this particular stone,” recounts Omer Nitzan, Ziv’s sister. “When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone and we realized we had discovered an archaeological find We immediately reported this to the Israel Antiquities Authority.” Judah Region District Archaeologist on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority praised Ziv and her family for reporting the find and awarded her a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship The ancient find will be included in a special display for Passover that the Israel Antiquities Authority has prepared at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel alongside other finds from the days of Egypt and Canaan most of which are being displayed for the first time determined that the seal found by Ziv is a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age – dating to about 3,800 years ago “Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets that reflect religious beliefs or status.” originating in ancient Egypt and designed in the shape of a dung beetle considered sacred in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians because of the dung ball it created and then laid its eggs into it This is because the Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator The scarab Ziv found was discovered at the foot of Tel Azeka – an important archaeological tel near Beit Shemesh evidence was discovered of many changing cultures over the course of history excavations by Tel Aviv University have revealed findings from the days of the Judahite Kingdom Tel Azekah was also known as a key feature in the biblical battle scene between David and Goliath as described in the Book of Samuel (Samuel I 17:1) “We have been excavating here for almost 15 years and the excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands,” says Prof who even came to meet Ziv and her sisters at the tel which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period.” that of the ancient civilizations that lived in this land thousands of years ago The scarab Ziv found also reminds us that in the Land of Israel even children can be a part of discovering history.” deserve praise for handing over the find to the National Treasures of the state of Israel,” says Eli Escusido everyone will be able to see it and enjoy it we will present the seal in a special exhibition set up by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel alongside other findings from the Egyptian and Canaanite eras In our public tours we will present impressive items for the first time and evidence of the Egyptian cultural influence in the Land of Israel – and everyone is invited!” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The ancient ship and its cargo is estimated to be from the 13th century BCE making it one of the oldest shipwrecks ever discovered The Canaanite amphorae from the 3,300-year-old shipwreck Image credit: Israel Antiquities Authority The 3,300-year-old shipwreck was found 90 km (56 miles) from Israel’s shore at a depth of 1.8 km (1.1 miles) on the Mediterranean Sea floor either due to a storm or to an attempted piracy attack,” said Dr head of the marine unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority “This is both the first and the oldest ship found in the Eastern Mediterranean deep sea “This is a world-class history-changing discovery: this find reveals to us as never before the ancient mariners’ navigational skills — capable of traversing the Mediterranean Sea without a line of sight to any coast “To navigate they probably used the celestial bodies by taking sightings and angles of the Sun and star positions.” The discovery was made during an environmental survey of the seabed by a team from London-based natural gas production company Energean “As part of our ongoing activity to discover and extract natural gas from the deep sea we conduct surveys that check different parameters using an advanced submersible robot to scour the seafloor,” said Dr head of the environmental staff at Energean we saw the unusual sight of what seemed to be a large pile of jugs heaped on the seafloor.” “We are in ongoing contact with the Israel Antiquities Authority and when we sent them the images it turned out to be a sensational discovery The 3,300-year-old shipwreck on the Mediterranean Sea floor “The robot’s survey and mapping of the site clarified this to be a sunken ship ca. 12-14 m (39-46 feet) long that was transporting hundreds of Late Bronze Age Canaanite storage vessels of which only some are visible above the ocean floor,” Dr “The muddy bottom conceals a second layer of vessels and it seems that wooden beams of the ship are also buried within the mud.” “The vessel type identified in the cargo was designed as the most efficient means of transporting relatively cheap and mass-produced products such as oil wine and other agricultural products such as fruit.” “Finding such a great quantity of amphorae on board one single ship is testimony to significant commercial ties between their country of origin and the ancient Near Eastern lands on the Mediterranean coast.” Only two other shipwrecks with cargo are known from the Late Bronze Age in the Mediterranean Sea — the boat from Cape Gelidonya and the Uluburun boat; both found off the Turkish coast.” “Yet both of those shipwrecks were found relatively near the shore and were accessible using normal diving equipment.” the academic assumption until now was that trade in that time was executed by safely flitting from port to port hugging the coastline within eye contact.” “The discovery of this boat now changes our entire understanding of ancient mariner abilities: it is the very first to be found at such a great distance with no line of sight to any landmass.” “There is tremendous potential here for research: the ship is preserved at such a great depth that time has frozen since the moment of disaster — its body and contexts have not been disturbed by human hand (divers etc.); nor affected by waves and currents which do impact shipwrecks in shallower waters.” “The important significance of these finds prompted a decision to exhibit these Canaanite vessels extracted from the seafloor and to thus tell the public the story of this boat in the framework of opening the Archaeological Campus for ‘sample taste’ tours this summer,” said Dr director of the Israel Antiquities Authority “These visits will afford people a glimpse of this unique edifice even before the official opening of our expansive visitor center currently scheduled two years from today.” “I earnestly thank Energean for their alertness in identifying this ancient cargo and for dedicating the resources which have already enabled initial understandings gleaned from this rare shipwreck.” Budding archaeologist Ziv Nitzan might have made a career for herself later in life after finding a 3,800-year-old amulet with an ancient Canaanite seal on it while on vacation with her family the 3-year-old girl from Moshav Ramot Meir uncovered an ancient scarab amulet.“We were walking along the path and then Ziv bent down – and out of all the stones around her she picked up this particular stone,” recounts Omer Nitzan “When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it Her discovery did not go unappreciated by archaeological authorities Judah Region District Archaeologist on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) awarded Ziv with an appreciation certificate for “good citizenship” and thanked the family for reporting the find little Ziv picked up what she thought was a stone it was an amulet from the Middle Bronze Age that reflect religious beliefs or status,” Ben-Tor said of the discovery ornate objects originally from ancient Egypt They are designed in the shape of a dung beetle This specific type of beetle was considered sacred in ancient Egyptian society and was symbolic of new life Researchers believe that the Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of their creator The area shows evidence of cultural changes in the region throughout the course of history Discoveries at the same place led by a Tel Aviv University excavation team included city walls and agricultural installations from the days of the Judahite Kingdom Tel Azekah was also known as a key feature in the biblical battle scene between David and Goliath as described in the Book of Samuel (Samuel I 17:1) Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu commented on the discovery that of the ancient civilizations that lived in this land thousands of years ago,” he said “The scarab Ziv found also reminds us that in the Land of Israel Credit: Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities Authority ArtDependence Magazine is an international magazine covering all spheres of contemporary art ArtDependence features the latest art news highlighting interviews with today’s most influential artists fair directors and individuals at the axis of the arts The magazine also covers series of articles and reviews on critical art events new publications and other foremost happenings in the art world If you would like to submit events or editorial content to ArtDependence Magazine, please feel free to reach the magazine via the contact page Haitian citizens are attempting to leave their country to flee to the United States and neighboring countries in hopes of a better life But what does it mean to enter a country illegally What are we to make of borders and those who seek to cross them The prohibited and forbidden are its inhabitants.” For Anzaldúa a narrow strip along a steep edge.” In other words borders are simply fictitious boundaries meant to separate and police the movement of the most vulnerable people — a tangible way to distinguish As a first-generation Haitian-American raised in a Haitian Baptist church, I recognized first-hand the need to flee long before Haiti’s most recent political unrest. My own family immigrated to the U.S. in 2001 and we lived in Spring Valley, N.Y., a town with the second-largest concentration of Haitians in the country I remember my third-grade classroom being filled with new Haitian classmates after the 2010 earthquake; I remember the children’s choir and church pews being filled with new members Though the church celebrated their arrival and prayed for those still trying to come to the U.S. it did not take an active role in helping people cross the border — legally or otherwise people cannot wait on bureaucratic processes Haitian migrants are still attempting to enter the U.S Guardiola-Sáenz sees the woman as a “dispossessed Canaanite woman demanding the right to be treated as a human being and not as a dog.” the TPS designation for Haitians will end in August despite pleas from advocates to extend the designation Speaking with The Haitian Times in April a migrant using the pseudonym Jessica Joseph was unsuccessful in her attempt to flee to Nicaragua Joseph had been deported back to Haiti and was seeking shelter at a hotel in Cap-Haïtien she was still adamant about trying to flee the country again because it had become impossible to “make a living in Haiti.” many Haitians are becoming desperate enough to cross borders and transgress cultural mores Jesus allowed himself to be corrected by the woman and decided to help her The question for Christians in the United States is this: Will we do the same Sara is an opinion writer for the Spring 2024 Sojourners Journalism Cohort Got something to say about what you're reading Trucks transporting detained undocumented leave an immigration detention center in the Dominican Republic to be deported on May 17 LGBTQ+ Jewish people see passports — now outing them for being trans — as part of a familiar playbook from the Holocaust "The very act of her getting up and pressing and pushing to her rightful healing is an act of resistance." Vanessa Martinez Soltero is an activist bridging her Christian faith and Indigenous traditions to sustain herself and community A National Day of Prayer appeal to Christian values failed to buoy Trump's approval rates Those of us who have met Trump's first 100 days with lament and anger are neither alone nor powerless 6 May 2025 1:08:50 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Home » 3-Yr-Old Girl Finds Canaanite Scarab Where David Faced Goliath 3-year-old Ziv Nitzan found an ancient scarab amulet dating back approximately 3,800 years while on a family outing at Tel Azeka Ziv Nitzan and her sisters with the certificate of appreciation she picked up this particular stone,” recounted Omer Nitzan “When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it We immediately reported this to the Israel Antiquities Authority.” The Israel Antiquities Authority was quick to recognize the significance of the find praised the young girl and her family for reporting their discovery and presented Ziv with a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship an expert in ancient amulets and seals expert identified the artifact as a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age “Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets,” explained Dr that reflect religious beliefs or status.” Scarab seals are small ornamental objects that originated in ancient Egypt and were designed to resemble dung beetles These beetles held sacred significance for ancient Egyptians as symbols of new life due to their habit of creating dung balls in which they laid eggs The Egyptian name for the scarab derives from the verb meaning “to come into being” or “to be created,” reflecting the Egyptians’ view of the scarab as representing the incarnation of God the Creator The discovery site at Tel Azeka has considerable historical and archaeological importance director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological excavation at the site personally met with Ziv and her sisters at the tel “We have been excavating here for almost 15 years thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands,” said Lipschits “The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period.” The site has been excavated for 15 years by researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU) commented on the significance of the find: “The seal that little Ziv found during a family trip to Tel Azekah connects us to a grand story even children can be a part of discovering history.” expressed gratitude to Ziv and her family: “Ziv deserve praise for handing over the find to the National Treasures of the state of Israel everyone will be able to see it and enjoy it.” The ancient seal will be featured in a special Passover exhibition organized by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel The exhibition will showcase the scarab alongside other artifacts from the Egyptian and Canaanite periods many of which will be displayed publicly for the first time alongside other findings from the Egyptian and Canaanite eras,” Escusido added “In our public tours we will present impressive items for the first time and evidence of the Egyptian cultural influence in the Land of Israel – and everyone is invited!” © ISRAEL365NEWS 2025 Privacy Policy Prophecy from the Bible is revealing itself as we speak Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it Sign up to our free daily newsletter today to get all the most important stories directly to your inbox See how the latest updates in Jerusalem and the world are connected to the prophecies we read in the Bible and It's CanaaniteWhile scanning the seabed ahead of developing Israel's Orca natural gas field Energean observed an anomaly that would change our understanding of ancient navigation skills 2024Get email notification for articles from Ruth Schuster FollowJun 20 2024An energy company surveying the Mediterranean seafloor has discovered the earliest shipwreck ever found in the deep sea anywhere in the world: a Canaanite merchant vessel that sank 3,400 to 3,300 years ago the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed on Thursday the company designed and sent down a specially kitted robot to retrieve samples The wreck was found a year ago at a depth of almost two kilometers (1.2 miles) in the middle of the sea – which was startling in and of itself Either it was very lost or the ancients had navigational skills we weren't aware of While the seafloors of the world are littered with shipwrecks this is the earliest found in the deep sea from that time In fact, until now we hadn't been confident the ancient peoples around the Mediterranean intentionally crossed the sea at all Karnit Bahartan with ancient Canaanite jugs found in the earliest known deep-sea shipwreck How did they get there in the first place?Credit: Emil Eljam / Israel Antiquities Authority Based on the way its cargo with hundreds of pottery jars remained "frozen" in position more than three millennia the prehistoric ship apparently foundered quite suddenly It sank straight to the bottom intact and there it stayed at a depth of 1.8 kilometers (5,900 feet) lost and forgotten until Energean-E&P sonar scanned the seafloor ahead of developing the gas field and observed an anomaly Sending down a robot submersible to investigate the anomaly showed it consisted of ancient jars peeping through the sediment What could have caused a Canaanite merchant vessel to suddenly sink in the middle of the sea Possibly the pirates plaguing the ancient Mediterranean Or maybe the bitumen sealing for the wooden planks sprang a leak it seems to have happened fast," Sharvit says "If it was in trouble in a storm and was starting to sink the sailors would have tried to make the boat lighter by casting off weight to save it The boat's initial identification by archaeologists as Canaanite was based on the company's initial robot photographs after planning the operation for many months Energean sent down a ROV that recovered two of the ancient pots Open gallery viewUsing an advanced submersible robot to survey the bottom of the sea at depths of 2 kilometers (1.2 miles).Credit: Emil Eljams / Israel Antiquities AuthorityMight as well be on the moon it was surveying the water column and seabed to plan for Katlan ("Orca") Then the photos arrived from the submersible sent down by the Energean Star survey ship explains Energean public affairs officer Eliana Fischler "As part of our ongoing activity to discover and extract natural gas from the deep sea using an advanced submersible robot to scour the seafloor," explained Dr lead of the environmental unit at Energean offshore energy companies have to report anomalous finds to the Environment Ministry The gas barons knew the pots were unusual but didn't realize how extraordinary the discovery was until the pictures were forwarded to Jacob Sharvit "I almost fell off my chair," he told Haaretz by phone "The moment I realized they were Bronze Age jars he met with the Energean people and explained what they had found "We all got excited," Fischler picks up the story And how did the second ROV mission to the bottom of the sea The IAA asked the company for help because it doesn't keep a deep-sea submarine on hand Sharvit notes that almost three years ago they did buy a ship from Malta with a submersible that can descend 1,000 meters with a 3-person crew but it can't go down twice as deep and why risk human life when Energean can do the job with machinery Open gallery view'The moment I realized they were Bronze Age jars important find,' says Sharvit.Credit: Emil Eljams / Israel Antiquities AuthorityFor the IAA the jars might as well have been on the moon "They asked if we would be willing to do it for them In the spirit of giving back to the community," she explains Energean does not routinely extract fragile antiquities from seabed sludge Planning the operation and designing the specialized equipment took months they dug two pots out of the sediment using the robot arms and fished them up using a net then raised them to the surface in a basket The ROV was operated by a team on board the Energean Star survey ship with a different specialist operating each arm Open gallery viewPlanning the operation and designing the specialized equipment took months.Credit: Energean company"It's so deep that it took three hours for the ROV to get down there," Sharvit shares It was a long three hours for the antiquities and energy teams it turned out his identification from the initial pictures was correct They were standard Canaanite jars common in Late Bronze Age Israel but any that had been above the sand are long gone The jars lay in a heap about six meters by ten "The cargo had been closed in a chamber in the ship," Sharvit speculates They were still lying like in their chambers in the ship The sonar even showed lines separating them – we even thought we had the ribs of the ship." We may never know because the pots didn't scatter but their contents are apparently gone and replaced by sediment But they hope to detect traces of foodstuffs or pollen or anything that could help nail down the nature of the goods – wine Open gallery viewSediment from inside the jarsCredit: Emil Eljam / Israel Antiquities AuthoritiesThe fact that there was ancient trade is no secret including all around the Mediterranean basin and beyond and including in the Bronze Age and for thousands of years before that But what was a Canaanite merchant vessel doing in the middle of the sea But it has been assumed that prehistoric modern sailors (such as Canaanites) would have hugged the coast remaining in eyesight of land insofar as possible because they didn't have navigation technology and the open sea is scary Open gallery viewAncient trade is no secret but the ships were thought to have hugged the coast This one didn'tCredit: Energean companyAll the wrecks found so far in the Mediterranean Sea have been in shallow water One of the earliest actual shipwrecks was found off the uninhabited island of Dokos but is more likely 4200 years old based on the style of the heaps of Early Helladic pots and fragments found on board Two were found off Turkey's coast: the Uluburun wreck and the Cape Gelidonya boat That one foundered in water so shallow it crashed onto the rocks Gelidonya and Dokos wrecks could be investigated by ordinary divers the fact that discoveries of Bronze Age wrecks by coasts just means that is where we found them with a crew of probably four to six people indicates deep-sea sailing ability in antiquity Open gallery viewThe Canaanite jugs exposed to the light of day after more than 3,300 years.Credit: Emil Eljams / Israel Antiquities AuthorityProbably they were navigating using the sun because at a distance of about 90 kilometers from the Israeli coast not even halfway to Cyprus – they couldn't see any land at all on the board of the Energean survey vessel two people controlling the arms of their robot submersible using joysticks dug up two ancient pots netted them and maneuvered them into the specially manufactured basket And the energy people and archaeologists watched and were moved together as jars rose from the depths "We were crying on board from excitement," Fischler shares Sharvit, for one, is also thankful that the GPS navigation system wasn't on the fritz or jammed during the ROV mission because the entire operation is based on GPS Imagine if you spend a year designing the appropriate submersible and send it down and dig up the pots and then it gets lost Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityThree-year-old Ziv Nitzan found an ancient Canaanite amulet while hiking in Israel with her family During a family trip to Tel Azekah in Israel a three-year-old girl came across a 3,800-year-old Canaanite amulet The archaeological site is mentioned in the Bible as the location of the battle between David and the Philistine giant Goliath adding to the long list of evidence that attests to the close cultural ties between Canaan and Egypt during the Bronze Age Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityThe Canaanite artifact depicts scarabs which were commonly used on seals and amulets in ancient times was on a hike with her parents and two older sisters at the foot of the hill where Tel Azekah stands when she found what seemed to be an odd-shaped stone “We were walking along the path, and then Ziv bent down — and out of all the stones around her, she picked up this particular stone,” her sister Omer said, according to a Facebook post by the Israel Antiquities Authority Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityThe other side of the amulet Ziv was awarded a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship after her family reported the discovery The scarab amulet was then handed over to the IAA and will soon be included in a special display for Passover at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel alongside other finds from ancient Egypt and Canaan experts examined the scarab amulet that Ziv found and have released more information about the artifact’s history examined the artifact and determined it to be a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age “Scarabs were used in this period as seals and amulets,” she said Sometimes they bear symbols and messages that reflect religious beliefs or status.” Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityThree-year-old Ziv holds her discovery They were designed in the shape of dung beetles which were considered sacred to the culture The creatures were seen as symbols of new life because of the dung balls they created and laid their eggs in thus giving way to children or “new life.” come into being itself.” Scarabs were seen as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator and the amulet’s proximity to a Biblical site only makes the discovery that much more fascinating Tel Azekah is explicitly named as the location of the battle between David and the giant Goliath it is a highly important archaeological site that has been undergoing excavations for over a decade thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands,” said Professor Oded Lipschits Lipschits also traveled out to meet Ziv and her family after the discovery Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities AuthorityAn aerial view of the Tel Azekah archaeological site which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period,” he added IAA director Eli Escusido also offered praise to Ziv and her family for the discovery everyone will be able to see it and enjoy it,” he said Israeli Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu echoed this sentiment “The seal that little Ziv found during a family trip to Tel Azekah connects us to a grand story After reading about the Canaanite amulet found by a toddler in Israel, learn about Moloch, the alleged Canaanite god of child sacrifice. Or, discover 44 interesting facts about ancient Egypt words: The first domesticated grape vine was in… Egypt There’s an ancient hieroglyph that depicts wine growing onto a trellis of vertical poles the artwork shows those vines feeding into large earthen jars meaning the Egyptians were hip to the basics of canopy management and drip irrigation Before we move into more familiar territory we watch the grapevine move from the Fertile Crescent to the Nile Delta and it’s all right here on this episode of “Wine 101.” Tune in for more Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Follow Keith on Instagram @VinePairKeith Rate and review this podcast wherever you get your podcasts from at the VinePair headquarters in New York City I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day *Image retrieved from RnDmS via stock.adobe.com 6 May 2025 1:09:51 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); 6 May 2025 1:09:54 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Tahlia Scherer is the New Canaanite summer intern for 2024 Tahlia Scherer, a rising senior at New Canaan High School, starts this week as a reporter working for NewCanaanite.com in its Summer Internship Program. Here’s a Q&A with Scherer on her first day. This year’s Summer Internship Program is sponsored by Karp Associates New Canaanite: Tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your interest in journalism generally Tahlia Scherer: I’m a rising senior at New Canaan High School I started taking journalism beginning my junior year of high school and I got into it because I’ve always loved reading I started submitting to contests and then eventually I got into journalism class and I realized that there’s this whole other side to writing And the class really showed me that journalism and writing can be really collaborative Tell us a little bit about your background because I know you didn’t come to New Canaan until you were a freshman And then my family moved to a suburb of Chicago but it’s where ‘Home Alone’ was filmed And then I moved here beginning of my freshman year of high school Talk about your experience in journalism at the high school and then I worked my way up to features editor And then this year I became one of the editors-in-chief I’ve been in the class for n two years now I’ve worked with a lot of people that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise worked with if I wasn’t in the class Tell me about what you are hoping for or looking forward to in the summer internship I’m looking forward to writing a lot of pieces in a real journalism context And I also want to learn how to write a lot of pieces in a short amount of time I want to learn to write a lot more per day This is going to be an introduction to the daily news grind get the articles out there and forget about things quickly Part of this job is going to be interviewing people in a formal setting where you’ve arranged an interview Or it could be man-on-the-street interviews or writing about people who are participating in public meetings Our readers will come to recognize your byline We’ve already learned a lot about you and your background What are some of the things you’re interested in other than journalism and writing I haven’t done it so much this year because I’ve had a lot of school work There was a time where I thought I wanted to be a screenwriter I’m watching ‘Bridgerton.’ For a while one of my favorite Christmas movies was ‘Home Alone’ They’re all centered around high school—the high school that I was supposed to go to was what ‘Mean Girls’ is based off of And I really like ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.’ That’s Chicago Feels like you should have been born in 1975 6 May 2025 1:10:08 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Powered by ATC Online LLP Israeli Researchers SayInscription found nearly a century ago in Beth Shemesh was a sequence of letters copied by a budding scribe and reveals existence of a school there nearly 3,500 years ago 2024Get email notification for articles from Ariel David FollowMay 16 archaeologists digging the ruins of Beth Shemesh an ancient settlement in modern-day central Israel found a fractured clay tablet bearing a cuneiform inscription the earliest text of its kind found outside Ugarit and only two more examples have been unearthed in the southern Levant since But what did it mean? Some scholars translated the text as an ancient prayer. Others figured it was diplomatic correspondence from Ugarit showing important international ties between these two Canaanite city-states during this period It turns out the enigmatic tablet is something else entirely A new scientific analysis of the artifact proves that it was made locally and supports a previous suggestion by other researchers that it is in fact a school exercise by a young apprentice learning a new alphabet The artifact is rare evidence of a scribal school outside Ugarit and another piece in the puzzle of trying to reconstruct the complex process that led to development of the alphabet as we know it today Jonathan Yogev and the late Cécile Fossé studying the Beth Shemesh tablet on a microscopeCredit: Prof Yuval Goren / Ben-Gurion University Ugaritic forms An international team led by researchers from Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva studied the tablet under a microscope and analyzed the clay's chemical composition to understand its origin. The researchers published their findings last week in Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University who passed away due to cancer before its publication The article is also intended as a tribute to her work "First of all we wanted to know if it was written in Beth Shemesh or Ugarit," says Prof. Yuval Goren, Fossé's academic supervisor and a noted expert in applying advanced scientific methods to archaeological finds The petrographic analysis of the tablet showed the clay's chemical composition was typical of the Shephelah the hilly region in which Beth Shemesh is located and was not compatible with the soil in the area of Ugarit the tablet was most probably made in or near Beth Shemesh and was not brought by a diplomatic courier from the powerful city-state in the Northern Levant Open gallery viewTablet with cuneiform abecedarium the misshapen tablet also doesn't match the standard size of clay tablets used in the period researchers spotted a fingerprint whose size suggests the artifact was molded or handled by a child All of which points to a student's exercise even before the archaeologists took a closer look at the text using a stereoscopic microscope which gave them a three-dimensional view of the tiny grooves left by the scribe's stylus thousands of years ago The letters are similar to the cuneiform alphabet used at Ugarit either because this was a local dialect or because the scribe made mistakes The writer definitely was a learner because many letters show corrections that were superimposed to the original text The transcription the team proposes supports that what we have here is just a sequence of letters written in the cuneiform alphabet a researcher at Kaye Academic College of Education in Be'er Sheva and an expert on Ugaritic texts this was a dictation exercise in which a teacher pronounced letters and the student had to write them down leading sometimes to mistakes and corrections Open gallery viewFacsimile of the tablet with transcription of the cuneiform textCredit: Prof "We see this method in other ancient scribal schools The teacher stands next to you and dictates the letters: 'A This cuneiform script differs from Ugaritic in a few ways besides the shape of some letters (but again it's hard to know if some or all those differences are scribal mistakes or local dialectal variations) like Hebrew – while most cuneiform texts found in Ugarit and elsewhere are written left to right the exercise seemingly started out by writing down the alphabet's letters in sequence The Beth Shemesh tablet starts with the letters H This is not the sequence that was standard in Ugarit (which begins with A and B),_and which was later adopted across most of the West giving us the very word "alphabet" – from the first two letters of the writing system What appears in the Beth Shemesh tablet is the so-called "halcham" order (from its first four letters) This alphabetic order is known from ancient Southern Semitic languages and survives today in Ge'ez the classical Ethiopian language still used by Ethiopian Jews This opens a fascinating window into the world of the ancient Canaanites and their literacy, he says. Given the scarcity of textual findings in the southern Levant we don't know much about the Canaanites and how they wrote. We do know from Egypt's Amarna letters archive of correspondence between the Pharaoh and his Canaanite vassal city-states that their scribes were fluent in Akkadian which in the Late Bronze Age was used as the international language of diplomacy But we don't know how Canaanites wrote to each other or if they all used the same writing methods, Yogev says. In fact the very notion of a "Canaanite" culture may be a fiction created by later biblical authors the inhabitants of the Levant may not have identified as a single people but rather as distinct groups tied to various city-states each with its own culture and possibly each with its own writing system Open gallery viewA jar from about 3,000 years ago with rare ancient Canaanite inscription that reads "Eshba'al Ben Bada' found at Khirbet QeiyafaCredit: AFP / Gali TibbonSoup of alphabets Our lack of understanding is all the more frustrating for scholars because Bronze Age Canaan is seen as the place where alphabetical writing first originated The earliest alphabetical texts were found in Egypt and the Sinai Desert probably by Canaanite migrants who adapted some Egyptian hieroglyphs to represent sounds in their own Semitic language alphabetical scripts of various nature reappeared in Canaan sailing from the coast of modern-day Lebanon would spread their version of the alphabet across the Mediterranean where it evolved into the Greek and Latin alphabets we still use today but the reality is that in Late Bronze Age Canaan multiple writing systems were being used and it's almost impossible for scholars to understand what derived from what A linear script can be written with simple lines rather than by making shapes and indentations with a stylus This soup of alphabets is enough to give anyone a linguistic headache and it's very confusing for scholars," Yogev explains "We like to think that one thing followed from another but it's not necessarily so Things were very flexible: in one town they wrote in one way and in another they wrote in a different way." This great diversity likely had much to do with the many cultural differences that existed between Canaanite city-states where up to seven different writing systems are attested but which also developed its own alphabetic cuneiform writing system Open gallery viewUgaritic administrative tablet mentioning people from Cyprus coming to get food in Ugarit 13th century BCECredit: Zunkir"There is something cultural in writing language and a specific identity," he tells Haaretz "It's not something one quickly gives up to adopt a system from a neighboring town." As mentioned, the cuneiform alphabetical script from Beth Shemesh appears in two more inscriptions found in Israel, on a blade from Kochav Hayarden and a tablet from Tel Taanach So it is possible that this writing system was relatively widespread across the southern Levant during the Late Bronze Age These texts may represent a local Canaanite dialect and writing system that was a shared method used to communicate between the various city-states of the region "But of course we can't be sure because we haven't found enough evidence," he adds "We haven't found an impressive Canaanite library that can tell us how things really were." Every print subscription comes with full digital access is a sentence warding off lice that’s written in the early language of the ancient Canaanites By Freda Kreier Engraved into the side of a nearly 4,000-year-old ivory comb is a simple wish: Get these lice out of my hair written in the early language of the ancient Canaanites represents the earliest known instance of a complete sentence written using a phonetic alphabet says archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem The writing system of the Canaanites who lived in a region in the eastern Mediterranean called the Levant until around 2,000 years ago later served as a major basis for many modern alphabets (SN: 7/27/17) That makes the comb “the most important object I’ve ever found during an excavation,” Garfinkel says We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday By subscribing, you agree to our Terms & Privacy Policy.  You must be 13 or older to sign up For full digital access, consider a $2.99 per month subscription The Canaanites were a cultural group that traded widely across the Mediterranean Few of their written records have survived so most of what researchers know about them come from other documents The comb was unearthed in 2016 among the ruins of the ancient city of Lachish in present-day Israel. Years later, when the comb was sent to a lab to search for traces of lice, someone noticed faint symbols etched on the side. A closer look revealed that the symbols spelled out the sentence “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard,” Garfinkel and colleagues report November 9 in the Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology The discovery may offer a glimpse into the life of one of Lachish’s wealthy denizens The fact that the sentence refers to a beard suggests it belonged to an elite man since elephant ivory was an expensive good that had to be imported from Egypt.  The plea against lice is “so human,” says Garfinkel who notes that other writings from the time tend to center around royal accomplishments or religion It also appears that the comb was able to fulfill its purpose the researchers found the ancient remains of a louse Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org | Reprints FAQ A version of this article appears in the December 17, 2022 issue of Science News D. Vainstub et al. A Canaanite’s wish to eradicate lice on an inscribed ivory comb from Lachish Freda Kreier was a fall 2021 intern at Science News She holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Colorado College and a master’s in science communication from the University of California To build immunity to bites from venomous snakes like this water cobra Tim Friede injected himself with doses of venom over time A custom-built Minecraft world helped researchers study how people shift strategies when hunting for pumpkins or watermelons no chicken jockeys were present to interfere Well-executed starting moves in chess can tip a game’s outcome and players often rely on tried-and-true openers Those openers may not work well in Chess960 The diabetes and weight loss drug semaglutide may also help people with a severe form of fatty liver disease called MASH A member of New Mexico’s Picuris Pueblo Tribal Nation stands in front of a Round House used for rituals and meetings A DNA study initiated and directed by Picuris officials now supports their oral histories describing more than 1,000-year-old ancestral ties to ancient Chaco Canyon society In cities that have stopped adding fluoride to drinking water Vials of milk await testing for avian influenza at Cornell University in Ithaca Infecting dairy cattle hasn’t yet given H5N1 bird flu an evolutionary boost toward easy person-to-person spread Researchers say they have found physical evidence of a fight between a lion and a gladiator in Roman Britain gladiators battle tigers and lions in Rome’s Colosseum Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them It is published by the Society for Science a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education (EIN 53-0196483) enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions and shows close cultural links with ancient Egypt 2024Get email notification for articles from Ariel David FollowMar 10 2024Archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of a Canaanite temple built to greet the rising sun atop the mound of Azekah an ancient settlement in today's central Israel The Late Bronze Age compound and the spectacular artifacts found within it offer insight into the religious beliefs of the Canaanites showing a strong influence of ancient Egyptian culture Evidence of the violent destruction of the temple and the entire site also opens a window into the sudden collapse of multiple civilizations that occurred at the end of the Bronze Age and led to the rise of new cultures and political entities in the Levant The temple at Azekah has been under excavation since 2014 by a team from Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Oded Lipschits. Their discoveries in the compound were described in March in Biblical Archaeology Review Worship centered around a stone altar and a basin to drain liquids from offerings, all coated in plaster, the team reports. Next to the altar was a pillar a common cultic object in the ancient Levant which was made of smoothed limestone and reflected the morning light it is easy to imagine the rays of the morning sun painting this space in vibrant hues of gold The orientation to the east is known from other sanctuaries in the Levant and closely parallels Egyptian solar temples of the same period which were dedicated to the sun's daily rebirth at the end of the 13th or early 12th century B.C.E. Some of the open spaces were enclosed in walls and side rooms benches and more standing stones for worship were added Open gallery viewAn aerial view of the temple: The entrance courtyard (A) a paved entryway (B) with two side rooms (C) leading to the inner sanctuary (D)Credit: TAU/Lautenschläger Azekah ExpeditionIn the foundations the builders placed seven so-called "lamp-and-bowl" deposits While the number of these deposits is unusual it was a common custom in the Late Bronze to place a lamp and empty bowl in the foundations of a new building one of the Tel Aviv University archaeologists on the team The ancient Egyptians would also place a dedicatory object in the foundation of a new or renovated building to invoke divine protection upon it We don't know the exact significance of the Canaanite version of this rite But we can speculate that the bowl represents sustenance and the lamp represents light "For me it's a really touching combination," he says "When you build a house all you really want is that it should be filled with light and to have food The temple's easterly orientation and its many cultic links to solar worship shouldn't lure us into thinking that the compound was exclusively dedicated to a sun god In Canaanite temples it was common for multiple deities to be worshipped in the same shrine "We have to disconnect ourselves from trying to connect these temples to one or even multiple gods," she says everyone could come and do dedications to whomever they liked to the deity of the Elah Valley [which means goddess in Hebrew]." Open gallery viewThe bronze statuette of a seated Baal found in the temple at AzekahCredit: TAU/Lautenschläger Azekah ExpeditionAzekah by any other name which was inhabited for thousands of years – with each new city built atop the old one The Late Bronze temple itself was built upon massive Middle Bronze Age fortifications which the archaeologists have nicknamed "the monster." While the temple once stood atop the mound its ruins now lie (rather uncomfortably for the inquisitive researchers) on a steep slope underneath ruins from the subsequent Iron Age and the Hellenistic era Azekah was a large and prosperous Canaanite city in the Shephelah the fertile hill country at the foot of the Judean highlands It occupied a strategic location overlooking Gath – soon to become a major Philistine city – and the entrance to the Elah Valley The many signs of Egyptian influence found in the temple and elsewhere in the Late Bronze city highlight the resilient connections between the local Canaanites and the land of the Pharaohs at the time Open gallery viewThe rare amulet depicting three Egyptian gods found in the templeCredit: TAU/Lautenschläger Azekah ExpeditionResearchers have long known that Canaan came under Egyptian control in the mid 15th century B.C.E and its hold over the region lasted until the mid-12th century B.C.E This was the time of the Bronze Age Collapse including the Hittites in Anatolia and the Myceneans in Greece rapidly disappeared for reasons still unclear though climate changes are believed to have played a key role Egypt did survive the ensuing wars and unrest but withdrew from Canaan around 1150 B.C.E Yet the temple at Azekah reflects strong Egyptian influence even in the waning days of the Bronze Age "We have such a strong Egyptian connection that we can confidently say that Azekah was in direct connection with the Egyptian administration Open gallery viewThe stone altar and basin covered in white plaster and the standing stone in the temple.Credit: TAU/Lautenschläger Azekah ExpedA Bronze Age whodunit the Late Bronze incarnation of Azekah survived only a couple of decades after the Egyptian withdrawal It was utterly destroyed by an unknown force and its population seemingly massacred around 1130 B.C.E Human skeletons and signs of violent destruction are found pretty much every time archaeologists reach the Late Bronze Age layers of the site Two died in the temple's courtyard while the other three were likely standing on the roof of the building when it collapsed Whether they were making a last-ditch attempt to defend the temple or praying to their gods for salvation we will likely never know Open gallery viewHuman remains found in the temple at AzekahCredit: TAU/Lautenschläger Azekah ExpeditionWe also don't know who destroyed the city. A main suspect is the nascent Philistine power in neighboring Gath though its fiery end may have also come at the hands of another nearby city state or from an internal revolt What we do know is that the destruction was complete and no one came to bury the dead or loot their treasures This layer of rubble lies largely undisturbed comparing it to the Roman city frozen in time in that case entombed in ash by the eruption of Mt The Late Bronze temple at Azekah is not the only Canaanite place of worship archaeologists have found there's at least one more temple in Azekah itself while a similar sanctuary has been excavated nearby at Lachish A rare Canaanite inscription found in the temple has the earliest known example of the Canaanite and Hebrew letter \"Samekh\" (circled here) A 3,000-year-old temple, built by the Canaanites around the time of the ancient Israelite invasion The discoveries include an idol of the Canaanite god Baal that was the object of prayer and sacrifice in the temple's inner sanctuary This is the first ancient Canaanite temple that archaeologists have found in more than half a century and the discoveries shed new light on the ancient religion of the region an archaeologist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Garfinkel has led the excavations of the temple an archaeologist at the Southern Adventist University in Tennessee.  Related: Photos of ancient cult temple for worship of Canaanite storm god Baal The archaeologists were looking for evidence of an Iron Age occupation of the site when they came upon the remains of the temple in the ancient city of Lachish which is now part of Tel Lachish National Park about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Jerusalem.The excavations were expected to reach a fifth level of the buried city that was built in the 10th century B.C. Garfinkel told Live Science — over time the cities were built on top of the remains of older ones The archaeologists found evidence of the Bronze Age temple on the second day of the project when they began digging just under the topsoil "There was probably severe erosion in the specific place where we started [digging] and the five upper levels had been completely removed," Garfinkel said They found two silver-plated bronze figurines of the Canaanite gods Baal and Resheph a few days later "The statues were found in the holy of holies of the temple," he said referring to the temple's innermost sanctuary "People were praying to them and bringing them tributes."  The finds include several pieces of precious jewelry including these two gold earrings dating from before 1150 B.C.(Image credit: T Rogovski)Two figurines made of bronze and coated in silver thought to represent Canaanite gods "smiting" their enemies were found in the first few days of excavations.(Image credit: T Rogovski)Archaeologists say the temple walls and ceiling collapsed when it was attacked sealing many objects inside – including many pieces of pottery.(Image credit: C Amit/IAA)A rare Canaanite inscription found in the temple has the earliest known example of the Canaanite and Hebrew letter "Samekh" (circled here).(Image credit: Emil Eljem/IAA)The temple at Lachish is the first ancient Canaanite temple found in more than 50 years and is extraordinarily well preserved say archaeologists.(Image credit: Emil Eljem/IAA)Ancient cityLachish was the second-most-important city in the region after Jerusalem and it is noted several times in historical sources The Book of Joshua in the Hebrew Bible describes how the Canaanite city fell to the invading Israelites in about the 13th century B.C.: "And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel Garfinkel said Lachish was also sacked by the neo-Babylonians in the early sixth century B.C., by the Assyrians under Sennacherib in 701 B.C — about 400 years before the newly-excavated temple "Our temple was destroyed at about 1150 B.C. in the middle of the 12th century B.C.," he said.  Whereas the earlier and later temples were robbed of most of their artifacts the walls and ceiling of the 12th century temple collapsed quickly and sealed in many objects Some of the artifacts the archaeologists found include pottery; bronze cauldrons; decorated blades of daggers and axes; arrowheads; ornate jewelry such as earrings; and glass and gold beads Related: 7 Biblical Artifacts That Will Probably Never Be Found "There was a lot of cultural influence from Egypt in Canaan," Garfinkel said "We discovered Egyptian scarabs [oval ornaments shaped like a scarab beetle] and an amulet in silver showing an Egyptian goddess holding a lotus flower in her hand." The temple at Lachish is laid out like other Canaanite temples found in the nearby ancient towns of Hazor, Megiddo and Shechem with a central space for unhewn "standing stones" that may have represented gods.  The discoveries include part of a Canaanite inscription on a piece of pottery That inscription shows the first known use of the letter "samekh," which also appears in the Hebrew alphabet as a version of the English "s" sound Only a few have been found in the past 30 or 40 years and D … but there was one letter that was never found before — the Canaanite or Hebrew 'samekh'," he said we found a fragment of an inscription, and on it appears the earliest known letter samekh in the world." The discovery is especially important because the ancient Canaanites are now thought to have invented the first alphabet "Before this, you have the cuneiform writing technique in Mesopotamia, and you have the hieroglyph system in Egypt," Garfinkel said "But these were very complicated writing techniques with hundreds of signs, and only scribes who learned for years knew how to read and write."  the Canaanite alphabet could be written and read much more easily "The Canaanites invented the alphabet, and it spread all over the world — from Canaanite to Hebrew, then to Greek and Latin, and then to English," he said "And it is now very common all over the world."  The research was reported in January in the journal Levant Originally published on Live Science.  Live Science ContributorTom Metcalfe is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor who is based in London in the United Kingdom Ancient Egyptians drew the Milky Way on coffins and tombs 18th-century monk's anus was stuffed with wood chips and fabric to mummify him Science news this week: International blackouts and 'T Researchers analysed DNA extracted from 4,000-year-old human remains to reveal that more than 90% of Lebanese ancestry is from ancient Canaanite populations The fact that we can retrieve whole genomes from conditions not considered ideal for DNA preservation also shows how far the field has advanced technically Scientist have sequenced the entire genomes of 4,000-year-old Canaanite individuals who inhabited the Near East region during the Bronze Age and compared these to other ancient and present-day populations published in the American Journal of Human Genetics suggest that present-day Lebanese are direct descendants of the ancient Canaanites The Near East is often described as the cradle of civilisation introduced many aspects of society that we know today - they created the first alphabet established colonies throughout the Mediterranean and were mentioned several times in the Bible historical records of the Canaanites are limited They were mentioned in ancient Greek and Egyptian texts and the Bible which reports widespread destruction of Canaanite settlements and annihilation of the communities Experts have long debated who the Canaanites were genetically who their ancestors were and if they had any descendants today an international team of scientists have uncovered the genetics of the Canaanite people and a firm link with people living in Lebanon today The team discovered that more than 90 per cent of present-day Lebanese ancestry is likely to be from the Canaanites with an additional small proportion of ancestry coming from a different Eurasian population including researchers from Cambridge University’s Department of Archaeology and Anthropology and led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute estimate that new Eurasian people mixed with the Canaanite population about 2,200 to 3,800 years ago at a time when there were many conquests of the region from outside The analysis of ancient DNA also revealed that the Canaanites themselves were a mixture of local people who settled in farming villages during the Neolithic period and eastern migrants who arrived in the area around 5,000 years ago "Ancient DNA is becoming an indispensable tool for understanding population movements of the past This study in particular provides previously inaccessible information about a group of people known only by surviving written accounts and interpretations of archaeological findings,” said Dr “The fact that we can retrieve whole genomes from conditions not considered ideal for DNA preservation also shows how far the field has advanced technically," she said researchers sequenced whole genomes of five Canaanite individuals who lived 4,000 years ago in a city known as Sidon in present-day Lebanon Scientists also sequenced the genomes of 99 present-day Lebanese and analysed the genetic relationship between the ancient Canaanites and modern Lebanese said: “It was a pleasant surprise to be able to extract and analyse DNA from 4,000-year-old human remains found in a hot environment which is not known for preserving DNA well We overcame this challenge by taking samples from the petrous bone in the skull which is a very tough bone with a high density of ancient DNA.” co-author and Director of the Sidon excavation site in Lebanon said: “For the first time we have genetic evidence for substantial continuity in the region from the Bronze Age Canaanite population through to the present day These results agree with the continuity seen by archaeologists “Collaborations between archaeologists and geneticists greatly enrich both fields of study and can answer questions about ancestry in ways that experts in neither field can answer alone.” Adapted from a Wellcome Trust press release Cambridge co-author C.L Scheib conducting ancient bone analysis at the Wellcome Genome Campus Credit: Wellcome Genome Campus Public Engagement I wish to receive a weekly Cambridge research news summary by email The University of Cambridge will use your email address to send you our weekly research news email. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what information we hold. Please read our email privacy notice for details On a Lice CombThe earliest sentence found in Israel petitions the gods but not to rain down good fortune or extirpate the foe 2022Get email notification for articles from Ruth Schuster FollowNov 9 2022“All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt” Exodus 8:16 How much truth there is in the Exodus story is unclear; after all But we can be confident that lice were a perennial plague in biblical times We can know this because Israeli archaeologists have found a Canaanite lice comb made of elephant ivory around 3,700 years ago Found in 2017 in the biblical city of Lachish the artifact joins the pantheon of ancient combs assumed to be for lice that have been found up and down the Holy Land This one bears the earliest sentence ever found in Israel archaic proto-Canaanite: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” Almost four millennia after an elephant in Africa died and its tusk was fashioned into a tiny comb Open gallery viewClose-up of Canaanite letters on right side of combCredit: Dafna Gazit / Israel AntiquitiesThe comb was unearthed and studied by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as well as from Southern Adventist University and Lipscomb University The project was directed by professors Yosef Garfinkel and the comb was cleaned and preserved by Miriam Lavi But the exhortation was noticed only this year by research associate Madeleine Mumcuoglu at Hebrew University The writing was deciphered by semitic epigraphist Daniel Vainstub of Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva Their findings were published in the Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology “The whole thing is just 3 centimeters [1.2 inches] long and each letter is about 2 to 3 millimeters in size and they were very shallowly incised,” Garfinkel says ”Under ordinary light the inscription wasn’t visible maybe thanks to light from the side – and suddenly the inscription was observed.” Open gallery viewRendering of the combCredit: Daniel Vainstub The inscribed comb has six big teeth on one side and 14 finer teeth on the other side that could snag the parasites and their eggs All the teeth were broken in antiquity and the middle of the comb became eroded maybe because it had been gripped tightly while being dragged through the offending locks Rivka Rabinovich of Hebrew University and Prof Who might have owned an artifact like that in the Bronze Age Then as now, ivory was a luxury item. Earlier this year archaeologists excavating in Jerusalem found small ivory panels that would have adorned expensive, possibly royal, furniture The ivory for the comb was likely imported from Egypt suggesting that the infested owner was wealthy but made of wood that would have decayed,” he says Open gallery view28613.jpgCredit: Wooden anciet Egyptian lice comb 18th dynasty periodOther lice combs have been found at Lachish and throughout Canaan Twenty were found in a just one Middle Bronze Age cemetery in Jericho including in a Second Temple-period house on Mount Zion None until the current one bore exhortations to divine powers against parasitic affliction but given the belated nature of the inscription’s discovery Garfinkel suggests that other combs deserve reexamination the scientists found a dead Canaanite louse in the comb though they qualify: “The climatic conditions of Lachish did not allow preservation of whole head lice but only of the outer chitin membrane of a first or second nymph stage head louse.” They even tried to extract DNA from the corpse for genomic analysis this is far from the first proto-Canaanite inscription found in Israel: 10 have been found just at Lachish a major Canaanite city-state from the second millennium B.C.E. Writing at Lachish is “nicely attested” from various periods notes the renowned epigrapher Christopher Rollston of George Washington University in Washington But this is the first actual Canaanite sentence The inscription also contains the earliest known representation of the letter "sin" which in hebrew today is pronounced the same as "samekh" or the letter "s" but then had a different sound Today the ancient sin persists only among some peoples in southern Arabia Canaanite has significant similarities with the most ancient stratum of biblical-era Hebrew "The first word is the root natash which serves like in Hebrew – to root out," he explains the Canaanite comb predates the Israelites' arrival by centuries the writing is indeed early Canaanite script both because of the content of the inscription as well as the object upon which it is written: a comb And it also reminds us yet again that pesky little insects such as gnats and flies (mentioned as the third and fourth plagues in Exodus 8) and lice (mentioned in this new inscription) have been problems since time immemorial.” Proto-Canaanite is not the earliest form of writing Proto-writing emerged in Mesopotamia and/or ancient Egypt at the dawn of the Bronze Age; also perhaps in Harappa in the Indian subcontinent Small clay tokens were incised with an image Then cuneiform emerged in Mesopotamia and hieroglyphics in Egypt which involved scribes learning thousands of symbols Open gallery viewPhoto of Yossi GarfinkelCredit: Hebrew UniversityThe thinking is The earliest examples of alphabetic writing were found at Wadi el-Hol in Egypt’s Western Desert and at Serabit el-Khadim in southern Sinai There the writing is called proto-Sinaitic Proto-Canaanite is believed to be the same system devised to represent sounds by Canaanites who couldn’t or chose not to learn hieroglyphics Unlike the exhortation to the god against parasites it’s too incomplete to hazard a guess at what it said Other examples of proto-Canaanite writing were found at Gezer and Shechem Asked if the comb could cast light on literacy in the Bronze Age the simplicity of the alphabet compared with made reading and writing accessible to all in Hebrew and Arabic and Arabic and French – the whole world Intellectually it’s the most important contribution of the Canaanite culture to human history,” Garfinkel says Rollston adds that in the ancient Near East powerful and wealthy elites would commission scribes to write on prestige objects noting the Kefar Veradim Bronze Bowl from the Galilee and an inscribed bronze dagger from Lachish also from the Canaanite period But that doesn’t mean the comb inscription demonstrates widespread literacy among ordinary folk it would be a real stretch for someone to use this inscription to try to suggest that farmers It seems the working class would remain unlearned a while longer Rollston notes the writing of Second Temple Jewish teacher Ben Sira (around 180 B.C.E.): “The scribe’s wisdom increases wisdom; whoever is free from toil can become wise” – Ben Sira 38:24-29:11 The sage goes on to extol workers' vital role in society while stressing that they had no role in government proto-Canaanite would inspire the emergence of other alphabets our letters stem from lice-infested peoples of the Levant The mudbrick stairs within the passageway are blocked by intentional gravel backfill and large boulders at Tel Shimron A Nahariya bowl unearthed during excavations at Tel Shimron A virtual photomosaic of the vaulted passageway at Tel Shimron Archeologists discovered the mysterious arch at the end of a narrow underground passageway that was sealed with sediment shortly after it was built in the Middle Bronze Age Archaeologists in Israel have unearthed a mysterious Canaanite arch and vaulted stairway sealed inside a well-preserved mud brick building that dates to 3,800 years ago The archaeologists have no idea why the arch was built co-director of the excavation at Tel Shimron and an archaeologist at the University of Innsbruck in Austria "Of course you never know what you find at a site that has never been excavated but I can say with confidence that nobody … expected to find what we did," Martin added meaning the vault was created by offsetting bricks like an inverted staircase rather than with wedge-shaped stones which are typically used to build "true" arches This so-called "false" arch and stairway stands more than 16 feet (5 meters) tall and includes around 9,000 bricks The ancient Mesopotamins are known for using bricks to make such corbelled construction but it's never been found in the southern Levant Not long after the corridor and stairway were built — only about one or two generations — ancient workers backfilled both with sediment it's unclear why these structures were sealed off and it deepens the mystery as to why the Canaanites erected it in the first place "Why the passage went out of use so soon is a matter of speculation and not because there was some imminent danger of collapse," Martin said the quick backfill is the most lucky piece of the whole story since it is the only reason the feature is so incredibly well preserved almost 4,000 years later." Related: Blood-red walls of Roman amphitheater unearthed near 'Armageddon' in Israel "Canaan was not made up of a single 'ethnic' group but consisted of a population whose diversity may be hinted at by the great variety of burial customs and cultic structures," Killebrew wrote Inside the passageway and before a sharp left turn that leads to the monumental arch they discovered a seven-cupped pottery artifact known as a Nahariya bowl which was used for ritual offerings in the Middle Bronze Age Other clues hint at cultic traditions within Tel Shimron which sprawled across the top of a hill and was surrounded by massive ramparts during its heyday Previous excavations of another mud brick structure within the acropolis uncovered 30,000 bones belonging to animals that were likely sacrificed —Ancient inscription on jar found in Israel links kingdoms of Solomon and Sheba —Diver unexpectedly discovers Roman-era shipwreck carrying beautiful marble columns off Israel's coast —Ancient fish hook suggests sharks were hunted off Israel's coast 6,000 years ago  archaeologists came upon stairs leading deeper underground and beyond the building's walls because it likely extends beneath other fragile Bronze Age ruins that might collapse if they remove the soil "We will only understand the full significance of the corridor and the vaulted passageway (and where it exactly leads to) once we excavate more of the environs and beyond the blocked staircase," Martin told Live Science Until they find a way to safely excavate the enigmatic stairway archaeologists have reburied the passageway and arch to protect them from damage Sascha PareSocial Links NavigationStaff writer Sascha is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Southampton in England and a master’s degree in science communication from Imperial College London Her work has appeared in The Guardian and the health website Zoe bread-making and browsing second-hand shops for hidden gems Archaeologists discover hundreds of metal objects up to 3,400 years old on mysterious volcanic hilltop in Hungary These are the sharpest images yet of planets being born around distant stars ‘the’: Somebody among the Jebusites really wanted the governor of Jerusalem to die 2022Get email notification for articles from Ruth Schuster FollowJul 10 somebody seems to have had a beef against the governor of Jerusalem Archaeologists have discovered a buried Canaanite temple that had been carved into the bedrock about 82 feet (25 meters) above Jerusalem’s Gihon Spring some 3,700 years ago they found a limestone slab that dates to a few centuries later about 3,300 years ago.On that slab was a curse against the governor of the city written in 20 words of proto-Canaanite script (which is basically the same as proto-Sinaitic) The prose is beautifully preserved after all these years on the stone tablet which measures 10.5 by 7.9 inches (26.7 by 20.8 centimeters) is the earliest-known inscription ever found in Jerusalem At least the thing passes for “monumental” in terms of ancient hexes the head of the Institute of Biblical Studies and Ancient History who has now deciphered and interpreted it some 12 years after its initial discovery by archaeologist Eli Shukron and whoever did this wasn’t monkeying around with pathetic voodoo painted with charcoal ink or blood or whatever onto a piece of pottery “Whoever did this really wanted the governor to die,” Galil observes Open gallery viewA sketch of the Jerusalem inscription by Gershon Galil.Credit: Gershon GalilWho wished the Grim Reaper attend the governor is unknown but a plausible possibility is political opponents That speculation is consistent with the accursed one being defined by office they might have gone to the trouble to have a limestone carved with the spell but probably would have mentioned his name the Bible features a wealth of conflicts between city governors and their subjects The stone slab was clearly deliberately drilled The holes don’t pass through the slab so couldn’t have been used to hang the thing up Galil says – a further form of wishing harm on the governor of the city of Jerusalem The parallel that comes to his mind: needles in a voodoo doll above which Temple Mount was built above the Gihon Spring in the Middle Bronze Age about 3,300 years or the Late Bronze Age.) Chambers were carved into the bedrock and augmented by stone brick walls The curse slab was found in 2010 repurposed as a stone in the wall that would close up the temple for all time Open gallery viewArtist's rendering of the Canaanite temple in Jerusalem partly built of stone.Credit: Shalom KwellerThe temple seems to have been in use for about a thousand years so one might expect to either find a ton of curse slabs evidently the place was cleaned out from time to time And then King Hezekiah destroyed the temple and the slab was bunged into the closing wall Shukron adds the topographical aspect: Unlike Megiddo where one layer was built on the next creating a tel on the plain there were more ancient curses at the bottom of the hill but they have long since returned to dust or been weathered to nothing This one almost went the way of all curses too Shukron says: The archaeologists did notice it bore some scratches but nobody realized it was a proto-Canaanite inscription until Gershon Galil laid eyes on it Also found in the temple was a horizontal massebah. Most masseboth are called standing stones because they stand tall – ancient cultic sites are littered with them but some were deliberately laid on their side (but no Another site clearly featuring a horizontal massebah is Atar Hapar or “the bull site,” which is interpreted as an open-air cultic site in northern Samaria from the 13th or 12th century B.C.E It is named for a bull figurine found there Open gallery viewThe chamber hewn out of bedrock at the Canaanite temple in Jerusalem.Credit: Vladimir NeichinBack to ancient Jerusalem: who wasn’t sitting on the horizontal massebah The faithful were Canaanites – probably the Jebusites which is the biblical name for the local Canaanites living in Jerusalem But there are biblical references to other peoples in the city including the Hittites who had arrived in earlier times from Anatolia the author of that proto-screed was actually following a practice that was or would become widespread around the Mediterranean To wit: trying to harness supernatural powers against people you hate Open gallery viewThe horizontal massebah in the Canaanite temple Jerusalem.Credit: Vladimir NeichinReading the text one is reminded of another text written in proto-Sinaitic (proto-Canaanite) that was found on Mount Ebal and reported in March the writing wasn’t scratched onto limestone but actually etched onto a lead sheet that was subsequently folded up and could only be “seen” by tomographic scanning cursed – cursed by the God YHW.You will die cursed The Ebal inscription is also thought to date to the Late Bronze Age specifically to the late 13th century B.C.E. (Its dating is based on metallurgical analysis The Canaanite curse now reported from Jerusalem predates Judaism insofar as we understand the march of history no specific deity is invoked – certainly not Yahweh But the point is: formulaic cursing in the ancient world was evidently a thing I set before you this day a blessing and a curse Thou shalt set the blessing upon Mount Gerizim and the curse upon Mount Ebal” (Deuteronomy 11:26 While controversy continues to rage over the accuracy of the Ebal decipherment Galil shares that biblical archaeologist Dr Robert Deutsch noted on the accuracy of the newly revealed Jerusalem inscription: “The letters are very clear and the text is easy to read.” Galil suggests that the later Israelites learned to hex from the Canaanites It bears adding that the custom in ancient Egypt had a tweak: The curses would apparently be painted onto an artifact that could be smashed so the despised one would suffer the same fate Although they were probably about as useful as thoughts and prayers or latter-day attempts to hex the moon or Joe Biden they could presumably bring temporary emotional relief Both the Jerusalem inscription and the Ebal inscription are, as said, in an extremely early form of writing that in these parts is called proto-Canaanite it is the earliest-known alphabetic form of writing and is postulated to have been invented by Canaanite workers in ancient Egypt who couldn’t handle the hassle of learning hieroglyphics “At first we thought the Ebal inscription might be earlier [than 3,200 years] because the writing was so archaic,” Galil explains in fact proto-Canaanite would likely have been the appropriate writing form for it As for the Ebal text being done in archaic writing that had passed perhaps that was because the author hoped that the “original” form of writing would render the text more potent Some people still feel the King James Version of the Bible rings more movingly than modern formulations (“Thou shalt not kill…” / “Don’t murder people”) Galil suspects the Canaanite temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by King Hezekiah and no other He was the man in power in the city when the Assyrians arrived Open gallery viewThe supposed seal of King Hezekiah was discovered in excavation works at the southern end of the Western Wall Plaza.Credit: Uriah TadmorThe Kingdom of Israel fell and the Kingdom of Judah shook because Hezekiah was a toady of the Assyrians obedient to the overlord only when out of other choices he believes it was that king who closed it down had it buried and built a wall over it as part of his general religious reforms but Galil believes Hezekiah started to rule in 726 B.C.E His reform was a first stab but would leave marks – for instance at Lachish At that city is a temple that some archaeologists believe was deliberately desecrated by the marauding early Jews a more serious reform would be pursued by King Josiah – and note in support of his Hezekiah-the-destroyer thesis that when Josiah is credited with destroying the “high places” of the pagans this temple above the Gihon is not mentioned The beast whose death for which the hexer begs was “the city governor”: sar ha-ir the prefix “ha” means “the.” Which begs the question of when the definite article “the” was invented This is not only the earliest inscription ever found in Jerusalem; it’s the earliest identified instance of using the indefinite article It hadn’t been noticed in any of the other proto-Canaanite inscriptions which as we mentioned above are extremely ratty So we don’t know when “the” was invented but here it is in this raving Canaanite curse against the city governor of Jerusalem in the 14th or 13th century B.C.E immigrants to Israel learn to read Hebrew “with” and “without” vowels (ktiv maleh versus ktiv haser) Mater lectionis are consonants (such as vaw) that are used to indicate a vowel sound in Hebrew a text may either be written with mater lectionis or without them But this curse has some words written with the vaw – specifically It means that writing is not governed by strict rules like it is today It also suggests that linguists are wrong to suggest that first came ktiv haser with no use of consonants like vaw to represent vowels It hints that scribes at the time would be governed by the practice they were taught in scribe school the earliest texts could be written left to right Our pedantry for spelling and writing direction is a relatively late development Which explains why nobody realized what the Jerusalem inscription was because it has a logic and order of its own – but not a type we would recognize perfectly preserved mudbrick vault uncovered at Tel Shimron in the Jezreel Valley is a rare find but researchers can’t figure out its purpose 2023Get email notification for articles from Ariel David FollowAug 17 2023Archaeologists excavating the Bronze Age acropolis at Tel Shimron in northern Israel have been digging a massive and extremely enigmatic building this summer the huge mud-brick construction housed no room or other large space within but only a single tight passageway only wide enough to let one person through at a time the archaeologists freed the corridor of thousands of years of sediment that had filled it and progressively followed the passageway deeper and deeper underground After a sharp left turn at the rear of this mysterious building the corridor broadens to a monumental arch perfectly preserved after nearly 4,000 years despite being made of fragile sun-dried mudbricks The joint expedition by Wheaton College and Tel Aviv University is hailing the arch as a rare find one of few examples of this architectural feature to have survived this long in the Levant “I’m going to spend the next few years convincing my students that this is not archaeology,” jokes Prof an archaeologist at Wheaton who co-heads the dig vaulted passageways you can just walk through.” “It’s an extraordinary discovery in an extraordinary state of preservation.” But the purpose of the arch and the massive building that houses it remains a mystery for now Open gallery viewAerial view showing the stone plaza at Tel ShimronCredit: EyeconThe archway supports the ceiling as the corridor transforms into a stairway seemingly leading deeper underground beneath the building’s wall and away from it The archaeologists would love to clear the rocks and soil that jam the stairway ahead but at this point they are afraid the whole shebang would collapse on their heads “What we are going to have to do is dig down from the other side to try to reach whatever this passage leads to from above,” says Master That may take years as the corridor runs beneath other interesting ruins from the Bronze Age including what looks like a cobblestoned plaza and an adjacent building All of this will need to be documented carefully before being partially cleared to understand what lies beneath Open gallery viewMudbrick stairs within the passageway are blocked including with large stone blocksCredit: EyeconWhiff of Mesopotamia That may be because until the current expedition broke ground in 2017 the site had been barely touched by an archaeologist’s spade where according to Christian tradition the final battle between good and evil will take place Shimron doesn’t play an outsize role in the biblical narrative even though it is mentioned in the Book of Joshua as one of the conquests of the Israelites the evidence shows Shimron was an important town for much of recorded history when it was a large Canaanite city that occupied the entire hill and was surrounded by massive ramparts and topped by the monumental acropolis now being investigated In later periods Shimron changed hands and identities multiple times. In the Iron Age it was an Israelite town, until the Assyrian invasion in the late eighth century B.C.E. destroyed the Kingdom of Israel and there are signs of habitation during the Islamic era the Crusades and under the Mameluk and Ottoman empires The newly-discovered building and arch belong to Shimron’s Canaanite heyday in the Middle Bronze Age Based on the pottery artifacts found inside the building and radiocarbon dating the structure goes back to 1800-1750 B.C.E. Here in the Levant, the closest parallel may be the triple arched gate found at Tel Dan an ancient settlement near Israel’s border with Lebanon That structure is also from the Middle Bronze Age although it’s a true arch and not a corbelled one “The Shimron arch is a very special and unique find for which I’m not aware of parallels in Israel,” says Prof an archaeologist from Bar-Ilan University who did not take part in the dig the massive well-made brick architecture is reminiscent of brick architecture from this period in northern Syria and Mesopotamia,” Maeir says there is evidence of connections between Canaan and these northern regions and this might reflect some of these connections.” Open gallery viewCloseup of chalk striping in the passageway at Tel ShimronCredit: EyeconCanaanite cult it seems that the sediments that filled up the corridor and archway at Shimron date to the same period of 1800-1750 B.C.E indicating that the building and passageway were purposely sealed not long after they were first constructed This of course helped preserve the building and the rare arch within but it also deepens the mystery of why the construction was put up in the first place Why did the Canaanites of Shimron go to the effort of building a massive structure of 9,000 mud bricks create a corridor and a beautiful arch supporting it – and then fill up the whole thing with soil the blocked passageway would quite naturally lead to a golden idol would trigger an elaborate set of deadly traps Reality is often more boring (fortunately for the archaeologists) but Master and colleagues do suspect the building and archway may have had some cultic function This is suggested by the discovery inside the corridor, just before its sharp left turn into the arch, of a seven-cupped bowl (also called a Nahariya bowl, from its type site in northern Israel), a kind of pottery vessel known to have been used for ritual offerings in the Middle Bronze Open gallery viewIntricate 'Nahariya' bowl discovered at Tel ShimronCredit: Ariel DavidIn fact that entire area of the acropolis may have been connected to cult and religion: outside the mystery building the archaeologists uncovered two staircases leading into a room that contained 30,000 animal bones the corridor and arch have been reburied to protect them from erosion Until the archaeologists are able to safely dig from above and reach the end of the enigmatic passageway we can only imagine what ancient relics may be lying there in wait.