Discovery of the first cemetery of ancient inhabitants of Palestine

Researchers in Israel say they have discovered the first cemetery of the inhabitants of the ancient region of southern Canaan, also known as Palestine.

The discovery, made in 2013 and announced on Sunday, may help shed light on the question of who the people who lived in this land some 3,000 years ago were.

The excavation team has been working in this area for thirty years.

The group's leaders say they have found the remains of 145 bodies in various graves, some with food, perfume, jewelry and even weapons.

The bodies are thought to date from the 11th to 8th centuries BC.

“After decades of trying to figure out what the ancient Palestinians left behind, we finally came across them,” says Daniel Meester, one of the group’s directors.

He added that with this discovery, “we are getting closer to deciphering their authenticity.”

Researchers kept the discovery secret for three years until the end of the excavation period to avoid attracting the attention of ultra-Orthodox Jews, who have previously protested against archaeological sites and are concerned about the destruction of people's graves.

“We should have bitten our tongues for a long time,” says Mr. Master.

Scholars of this period disagree on the geographical origin of the people known as the "ancient Palestinians." The lands currently under debate are: Greece, the islands of Crete or modern-day Cyprus, and Anatolia.

Researchers are now testing DNA and trying to estimate their age using radiocarbon dating to find the origin of the remains recovered from the earth.

According to the researchers, there was not much next to most of the bodies, but next to some, there were perfume bottles, bowls, and earthen jars.

Some were buried with bracelets and earrings, and a few with their weapons.

Adam Eja, an archaeologist who collaborated on the project, says this was the ancient Palestinians' way of burying their dead, and it is this cryptic book that could reveal their secrets.

The ancient Philistines are mentioned in the Christian Bible as the great enemies of the ancient Israelites. They are thought to have migrated from the western lands to the lands of ancient Israel twelve centuries before Christ.

The most famous ancient Philistine was Goliath, or Goliath (a giant warrior), who, according to the Bible, was defeated by David before David became king.

Source: BBC