Culture
Philistines cemetery found: Like Goliaths lived people?
Some of the mystery of the biblical nation of the giant Goliath can now be revealed: ancient times, researchers have unearthed in southern Israel, a cemetery of the Philistines. A Museum in Jerusalem, shows finds.
The discovery of the Philistines cemetery in the port city of Ashkelon, is the culmination of a 30-year-long excavation campaign, because the legendary sea-faring people, many unanswered questions revolve: where did the Philistines? And how they lived, their culture was wiped out 2600 years ago by the army of the Babylonians-king Nebuchadnezzar?
145 complete skeletons, the scientists discovered. According to the American archaeologist, Daniel Master, it was “now finally possible to meet the Philistine face to face”.
Skeleton of a Philistine
Master excavation Director of the private, Leon-Levy Expedition since 1985, in cooperation with the Semitic Museum of Harvard University in Ashqelon. “We hope to understand now, just a burial of the culture,” says the Master. With the help of the bones they wanted to bring them “back to life.” The skeletal remains are currently undergoing DNA analysis, and radiocarbon to determine age.
New from the ancient seafaring people
The first graves were discovered in 2013 on the hill above the ancient port of Ashkelon, where in the heyday of the Philistines, lived 13,000 people. Today the archaeological site is located in a green national Park on the Mediterranean coast, adjacent to the modern city. This summer, the exploration of the cemetery is finished, the excavation site is filled in again.
Excavation in Ashkelon in southern Israel
The “sea people”, such as the Philistines, to distinguish it from its contemporary coastal neighbors, the Canaanites, were called, originated probably from the Mycenaean culture in the Aegean. The red and black decorated Pottery.”But so far, only that you were Strangers in the Semitic area of settlement, where they lived from 1200 to 600 before Christ in the coastal region between Gaza and present-day Tel Aviv,” said the Master. The language of the dealer people belonged to the Indo-European family.
The Philistines had no easy life
The Philistines practiced not circumcision, and pigs, ate dog meat, how finds from Gaza, Gat, Ashdod, and Ekron show a further four of them founded cities.
Archaeologists lay the skeleton of a Philistine free
In addition to the previously sparse archaeological finds, especially the Old Testament, has thus far delivered valuable information about the Philistines. They were the direct and at times warring neighbors in the hilly Inland of the living Israelites. So, for example, the book of Samuel describes how the Philistines capture the ark of the Covenant of the Israelites. Then, it came to a duel of the giant warrior Goliath with the cunning David, who won thanks to a slingshot.
In a field laboratory near the excavation hill in Ashkelon, the anthropologist Sherry Fox, what betrayed her, the skeletons, said: “To the teeth, I see that you had not an easy life. Growth disorders refer to attacks of Fever or malnutrition in Childhood.”
Fine work of the antiquary
The bone can, therefore, hard physical labour, but also “the teeth as tools have been used, perhaps, in weaving”. The skeletons pointed to a “average body size” of the Philistines, Fox. The large-growing Goliath seems to be an exception.
The most recent finds are still to be seen until February as part of an exhibition at the Israel Museum for a 30-year excavation campaign in Ashqelon.