An unrivaled discovery on the southern coast of Israel may enable archaeologists to finally unravel the origins of one of the most notorious and enigmatic peoples of the Hebrew Bible: the Philistines.Naturally, the key discovery was made on the last day of an excavation season (2013). That's what always happens.
The discovery of a large cemetery outside the walls of ancient Ashkelon, a major city of the Philistines between the 12th and 7th centuries B.C., is the first of its kind in the history of archaeological investigation in the region.
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Long, informative article. Read it all.
As I've mentioned before, I was a lowly staff member at the Ashkelon excavation way back in the 1987-88 seasons, when I was a doctoral student.
Related: Philistines Were More Sophisticated Than Given Credit For, Say Archaeologists (Reuters/The Forward).
ASHKELON, Israel, July 10 (Reuters) - Philistines were no “philistines,” say archaeologists who unearthed a 3,000-year-old cemetery in which members of the biblical nation were buried along with jewelry and perfumed oil.And then there's this: Philistine cemetery uncovered in archaeological dig in Israel, Goliath's people were 'normal sized' (AFP). No giants! Deane Galbraith, call your office.
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We may need to rethink today’s derogatory use of the word philistine, which refers to someone averse to culture and the arts, said archaeologist Lawrence Stager, who has led the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon since 1985.
“The Philistines have had some bad press, and this will dispel a lot of myths,” Stager said.
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