Archaeologists excavating Tel Shiloh, a site traditionally identified as biblical Shiloh, have discovered ancient storage jars filled with olives and lentils. The find was made beneath an Israelite-period ritual deposit and adjacent to an ancient Canaanite fortification wall.
Two of the unearthed jars contained olives, while a third held lentils, according to archaeobotanical analysis. One of the vessels contained approximately 500 burned olive pits. Excavation director Scott Stripling suggested that a fire likely preserved the olives for thousands of years.
Prior to uncovering the jars, the team excavated an Israelite-period ritual deposit. This deposit, known as a favissa, contained roughly 10,000 animal bones, pottery vessels, and eight gold and silver objects, including pendants and earrings. These items were deliberately buried as remains of sacrificial offerings.
The team carefully excavated through about two meters of debris to reach the intact storage jars. Stripling noted that the Israelites who later occupied Shiloh likely had no knowledge of the older Canaanite jars buried beneath their ritual deposit.
The discovered lentils and olives are described as staples of the Mediterranean diet. The burned olive pits are considered ideal for radiocarbon dating, with Stripling anticipating that the dates will align with the Middle Bronze Age.
The jars are currently undergoing restoration at Tel Aviv University, where researchers hope to gain further insights into the artifacts. The excavation team plans to expand their work next year to determine the original context of the jars within the ancient settlement, such as whether they were part of a kitchen or storage area.
Tel Shiloh is historically significant as the location where the Ark of the Covenant was housed for centuries before it was captured by the Philistines.