Even after Israeli archeologists discovered a cave in southern Israel was robbed by artifact thieves, several Egyptian-made artifacts were found dating back to the Late Bronze Age.
The Israel Antiquities Authority displayed in Jerusalem on Wednesday hundreds of unique artifacts pointing to the existence of an Egyptian administrative center near Kibbutz Lahav in southern Israel some 3,400 years ago.
Some of the artifacts found in southern Israel – Photo: Reuters
The artifacts were found in an underground cave discovered by the IAA’s Robbery Prevention Unit while its teams were working in the Tel Halif area. Upon discovering the cave, they noticed telltale signs of artifact theft and brought in an excavation team to find remaining pieces and to preserve historical clues.
The artifacts found dated to the Late Bronze Age (about 1,500 BCE) and the Iron Age (1,000 BCE). Some 300 pottery fragments of various types were unearthed in the cave alongside jewelry made of bronze and shells, unique stone tools, seals, signet rings and cosmetic tools.
The artifacts had accumulated in the cave over the course of dozens of years.
After examining the findings, the archeologists determined that some of the pieces were made in Egypt and brought to Canaan by the Israelites and by merchants. Other artifacts were made locally but with clear efforts to copy the prevailing Egyptian style at the time.
Dr. Amir Golani of the IAA said that “during the Late Bronze Age, Egypt was a very strong empire. Egypt’s control was evident not only in its military and political power, but also in its strong cultural influence,” adding that in addition to the Egyptian administrative center in Israel, several of the local elites adopted Egyptian customs and art styles.
View original Israel Hayom publication at: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=24585
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