A 3300 Year-Old Coffin Revealed - Belongs to a wealthy Canaanite Serving the Egyptians (?)
An archaeological salvage excavation conducted by IAA in northern Israel, prior to laying a natural gas pipeline, revealed a rare and fascinating discovery. The excavation exposed a part of a burial site from the Late Bronze Age (13th century BC), at the foot of Tel-Shedod. According to the excavation directors, Dr. Edwin van den Brink, Dan Kirzner and Dr. Ron Beeri (IAA), "During the excavation, we discovered a unique and rare cylindrical ceramic coffin with anthropoid lid (shaped in the figure of a person), around the coffin were a variety of pottery mainly used to storage food, tableware, ritual vessels and bones of animals. It seems that these were used to pacify the gods and they were designed to provide food for the dead after death." Inside the ceramic coffin researchers found an adult skeleton, and next to it were concealed pottery, bronze dagger, a bowl and pieces of hammered bronze.
According to IAA scholars, so far only a small number of anthropoid coffins were uncovered in the Holy-Land and the last time they were discovered was 50 years ago, in Deir al – Balah (Gaza Strip). The Archaeologists also added that "An ordinary person could not afford such a coffin, (a fact which suggests) this burial belonged to a person from the local elite."
Next to the coffin researchers found graves with two men and two women which may had been related. The disclosure of this coffin in Tel-Shedod indicates that the Egyptians controlled the Jezreel Valley during the Late Bronze Age (13th century BC). During the reign of the Pharaohs in the Holy-Land, Egyptian culture influenced markedly the local Canaanite elite. Traces of this influence are often found across the country.
Another rare finding found adjacent to the skeleton is an Egyptian scarab golden seal attached to the ring. The scarab was used for signing documents and official artifacts. The seal bears the name of King Seti I, who ruled ancient Egypt in the 13th century BC. Seti I was the father of Ramses II, identified by some scholars with the pharaoh mentioned in the Book of Exodus and the Exodus story. References to King Seti I on the scarab helped researchers date the time of the tomb back to the 13th century BC - correlating to the time of tombs found in Deir al - Balah and Beit-Shean, which were major Egyptian administration centers.
Archaeological surveys which were made in the Jezreel Valley in the past, reveled evidence to Egyptian presence in the area, but the discovery of the impressive anthropoid at Tel-Shedod came as a surprised to scholars. The area is mentioned in the Bible (the book of Joshua 19:10) in connection with the story of the settlement of the Israelite tribes and it was included in the property of the tribe of Zebulun.
 |
| Photo: Clara Amit courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority |
"Due to the fact that the tools that were buried along with the deceased were made locally," researchers said, "We hypothesize that the deceased was a clerk of Canaanite origin, who worked for the Egyptian government. Another possibility is that the coffin belonged to a rich man who imitated Egyptian burial customs."
 |
| Photo: Dan Kirzner courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority |
Next to the coffin researchers found graves with two men and two women which may had been related. The disclosure of this coffin in Tel-Shedod indicates that the Egyptians controlled the Jezreel Valley during the Late Bronze Age (13th century BC). During the reign of the Pharaohs in the Holy-Land, Egyptian culture influenced markedly the local Canaanite elite. Traces of this influence are often found across the country.
Another rare finding found adjacent to the skeleton is an Egyptian scarab golden seal attached to the ring. The scarab was used for signing documents and official artifacts. The seal bears the name of King Seti I, who ruled ancient Egypt in the 13th century BC. Seti I was the father of Ramses II, identified by some scholars with the pharaoh mentioned in the Book of Exodus and the Exodus story. References to King Seti I on the scarab helped researchers date the time of the tomb back to the 13th century BC - correlating to the time of tombs found in Deir al - Balah and Beit-Shean, which were major Egyptian administration centers.
 |
| Photo: Clara Amit courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority |
Archaeological surveys which were made in the Jezreel Valley in the past, reveled evidence to Egyptian presence in the area, but the discovery of the impressive anthropoid at Tel-Shedod came as a surprised to scholars. The area is mentioned in the Bible (the book of Joshua 19:10) in connection with the story of the settlement of the Israelite tribes and it was included in the property of the tribe of Zebulun.
Biblical and vintage Holy Land memorabilia
:available in our Etsy shop
