Ancient burial reveal the mystery of biblical villains Philistines – BBC News

The American archaeologists have announced the discovery results, made three years ago, but all this time stored in the strictest confidence. The ancient cemetery discovered in Israel, may shed light on the origin of the mysterious biblical people -. Philistines

It is believed that the Philistines along with the Hittites were the first nations in the Middle East, owning the technology of iron smelting. They did not have a full-fledged state, but formed a coalition of the five cities. Mysterious culture left behind a lot of ceramics and other products, but until now researchers have practically not faced with their biological remains.

In 2013, during excavations in the Old Testament city of Ashkelon, financed by the Fund Levy Leon (The Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon), a team of archaeologists stumbled upon a large number of graves. Soon the scientists realized that they were dealing with a cemetery belonging to the interval between the eleventh and eighth centuries BC.

During the three years of excavations, researchers have found the remains of more than 200 people in several rooms of the funeral. Near the dead were found the food, perfume and jewelry, as well as weapons. And all this time, work was carried out in secret, so as not to attract the attention of orthodox Jews who repeatedly opposed such research.

“After decades of studying what the Philistines left behind, we finally met face-to-face with the people themselves, – says one of the leaders of the excavation, professor Daniel wizard (Daniel master) from Wheaton College -This discovery brings us closer to solving the mystery of their origin “

Philistines, often referred to as the main villains of the Old Testament (hence the ratio of orthodox Jews, and secrecy) . They controlled the territory south of modern Israel and the Gaza Strip and regularly attacked their northern neighbors – Israel. Once they were able to capture the Ark of the Covenant time. Because the Philistines there were such well-known negative biblical story characters like Delilah, who tricked wormed the secret strength of Samson, and the giant Goliath, defeated David in a fight.

The first evidence of this culture belong to the twelfth century BC, and these artifacts , according to experts, it is very different from the products of other peoples who inhabited the eastern coast of the Mediterranean sea. For example, they are manufactured in ceramics drawings Greek style pork used in food, meat and sometimes dogs. Many historians believe that the Philistines come to the island of Crete. But there are other versions, according to which people could come from mainland Greece, Cyprus or of the modern Turkish Anatolia.

So far, the lack of large graves in Philistine centers associated with the specifics of the burial traditions. Archaeologists studying this question, even started to joke that the Philistines, probably buried their dead in the sea, like the Vikings.

Despite the fact that the archaeological excavations under the auspices of the Leon Levy Foundation regularly held in Ashkelon in 1985, discover the full cemetery was possible only after an elderly employee of the Office of the Israeli antiquities thought of the burials discovered in the early 1980s with the construction work outside the northern wall of the ancient city.

The first results of the study showed that the burial practices of the Philistines very different from that of the neighboring Jewish and earlier Canaan. Instead of placing the body of the camera, and then, a year later, move a bone in another place, ancient people buried their dead in one or a few people in the pits. Several graves were found traces of cremation.

It is interesting that, in contrast to, for example, Egyptian graves, the Philistines for each of the deceased have to very few accessories. It could be just a few ornaments or ceramic objects, sometimes met miniature flasks in which, presumably, could be spirits

Of particular interest are the children’s burial. Firstly, they are very few, and secondly, all the dead are covered with “blanket” of ceramic pieces. Archaeologists can not yet say with certainty whether these practices Aegean cultures.

The team is now conducting studies and radiocarbon analysis of DNA samples obtained from the bones. Scientists are hoping that soon it will help solve the mystery of the origin of the mysterious Philistines.

Currently, the veil of secrecy to research released and some of the findings have already been presented at the exhibition in the Archaeological Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem.