Fragments of ancient beer-brewing basins unearthed in Tel Aviv indicate that Egyptian ancestors more than 5,000 years ago, had settled farther north than previously known and were imbibing in what is now Israel’s most hard-partying city.
Israel’s Antiquities Authority said on Sunday the ceramic vessels, crafted in an Egyptian method that differed from local pottery-making at the time, would have held a thick, partially baked barley and water mixture left to ferment in the sun.
The shards were found under an office construction site in downtown Tel Aviv in 17 pits used to store agricultural produce in the Early Bronze Age (3500-3000 BC), the Antiquities Authority said in a statement.
The discovery suggested that Egyptian ancestors settled further north during that era than once believed in Tel Aviv. Archaeologists in Israel have found evidence of Egyptian communities to the south, in the Negev and along its Mediterranean coast.
Previous evidence of ancient Egyptians in Tel Aviv
In 1969, archaeologists excavating at the Tel Aviv University campus discovered a small, mud-brick structure that they believe was a temple dedicated to the Egyptian god Bes. The temple was dated to the 18th Dynasty (1550-1295 BCE), and it is the earliest known Egyptian temple in Israel.
In addition to the temple, archaeologists have also found other evidence of Egyptian presence in Tel Aviv, including pottery, figurines, and scarabs. These finds suggest that there was some trade and cultural exchange between Egypt and Tel Aviv during the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BCE).
It is important to note that the evidence of Egyptian presence in Tel Aviv is relatively limited. This is likely because Tel Aviv was not a major city during the Late Bronze Age. However, the finds that have been made suggest that there was some contact between Egypt and Tel Aviv, and this contact may have had a significant impact on the development of the city.
Here are some of the specific findings of Egyptian evidence in Tel Aviv:
- A mud-brick temple dedicated to the Egyptian god Bes, dated to the 18th Dynasty (1550-1295 BCE).
- Pottery, figurines, and scarabs dating to the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BCE).
- A stela with an inscription mentioning the name of an Egyptian official, dated to the 20th Dynasty (1186-1069 BCE).
These findings suggest that there was some trade and cultural exchange between Egypt and Tel Aviv during the Late Bronze Age. It is also possible that there was a small Egyptian community living in Tel Aviv during this time. However, more research is needed to confirm these hypotheses.
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