Gaby
The Israeli Antiquities Authority has shared discoveries from the ancient city of Zanoah, mentioned in the Old Testament. During excavations at the site, a team of archaeologists uncovered stone walls, pottery, and other artifacts dating back more than 3,200 years.
The Bible places the Israelites’ arrival in the Promised Land, or Canaan, around 1406–1407 B.C., after 40 years wandering in the desert.
What Artifacts Did the Archaeologists Find?
Researchers uncovered walls built from rows of large white stones. Archaeologists interpret them as retaining walls for agricultural terraces, built to create flat planting areas and to protect steep slopes from erosion.
The team unearthed numerous fragments of ceramic vessels. Among them was a jug handle inscribed with the name of King Hezekiah, a ruler mentioned in the Bible.
About 20 percent of the pottery dates to the period traditionally associated with the Israelites’ arrival after 40 years in the desert. The remaining ceramic artifacts were produced over the following roughly 900 years, the Daily Mail reported.
Archaeologists described an intriguing white limestone vessel fragment: “a wide rim adorned with a decoration of three concentric bands separated by gaps: the outer and inner bands are narrow and decorated with a rope pattern, while the central band is wide and has a broken mesh design.”
Other finds included bowls and jugs. Holes in one vessel suggest it may have been used as a lamp. The site also yielded a number of metal objects; among them were bronze ornaments, including a ring fragment and earrings. Additional evidence of ancient habitation in the region includes iron tools and nails of various sizes.
Archaeologists said most of the finds, especially those dated to the early Byzantine period, relate to agricultural activity on the hillsides. They added that the large number of artifacts highlights the site’s significance.
