In the Galilee region of northern Israel, a team of researchers uncovered the almost intact remains of a farmhouse dating back some 2,100 years, which the occupants most likely abandoned in haste, suggestively due to an imminent threat. This is a valuable archaeological treasure that would provide a better understanding of the daily life of these populations during the Iron Age.
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As reported by The Times of Israel, Dr Amani Abu-Hamid directed the excavations under the supervision of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). She stated:
We were very lucky to discover a time capsule, frozen in time, in which the finds remained where they had been left by the occupants of the site
Artefacts found almost intact
According to The Jerusalem Postamong the artefacts discovered during the excavations at the site, known as Horbat Assad, are iron agricultural tools, including picks and scythes, as well as coins dating from the 2nd century BC. Ceramic vessels were also found in an exceptional state of preservation, as well as weights used for weaving looms arranged on a shelf. All these tools suggest that the owners kept flocks of sheep or goats. However, further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis. Dr Amani Abu-Hamid said:
It seems that they (the occupants of the farm) left in a hurry in the face of impending danger, perhaps the threat of a military attack. The weights of the loom were still on the shelf, the storage jars were intact.
An escape from the Hasmoneans?
Furthermore, according to the researcher, this potential military attack could be the work of the Hasmoneans, a Jewish dynasty that ruled in Jerusalem. She explained:
We know from historical sources that at that time the Hasmonean kingdom extended to Galilee, and it is possible that the farm was abandoned as a result of these events. More research is required to determine the identity of the inhabitants of the site.
This article is translated from Gentside FR.
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