HORNED PHILSTINE ALTAR DISCOVERED AT GATH: BIBLE / ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS
Biblical Archaeology Society Staff • 07/26/2011
Archaeologists excavating at the Philistine site of Tell es-Safi/Gath in Israel’s southern coastal plain have discovered a rare horned altar dating to the ninth century B.C.E. The stone altar, which stands more than 3 feet tall, is the earliest ever found in Philistia.
The top of the altar was outfitted with a pair of horns, a feature reminiscent of ancient Israelite altars described in the Hebrew Bible (Exodus 27:1–2; 1st Kings 1:50) and, more rarely, found in archaeological contexts. But while Israelite altars have four horns, the Philistine altar found at Gath only has two.
The altar is a small, but an impressive and special window into the Philistine and Israelite cultures of the time in general, and their rituals in particular,” said Aren Maeir, director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath excavations. “It’s not every day we find items from Biblical times so closely related to items described in the Biblical text.”
Archaeologists excavating at the Philistine site of Tell es-Safi/Gath in Israel’s southern coastal plain have discovered a rare horned altar dating to the ninth century B.C.E. The stone altar, which stands more than 3 feet tall, is the earliest ever found in Philistia.
The top of the altar was outfitted with a pair of horns, a feature reminiscent of ancient Israelite altars described in the Hebrew Bible (Exodus 27:1–2; 1st Kings 1:50) and, more rarely, found in archaeological contexts. But while Israelite altars have four horns, the Philistine altar found at Gath only has two.
The altar is a small, but an impressive and special window into the Philistine and Israelite cultures of the time in general, and their rituals in particular,” said Aren Maeir, director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath excavations. “It’s not every day we find items from Biblical times so closely related to items described in the Biblical text.”