My Dig In Ashkelon

This tomb was hollowed out 3500 years ago by a Canaanite family and was one of three tombs off the main chamber. This opening to daylight was created by Harvard Archaeologist excavating to the  bottom of the dig site.

The Canaanites would prepare the body and then it was lowered down the 45 foot long shaft and laid out in the middle of tomb. If a previous set of bones was in the middle they were pushed aside to make a place for the new resident. The family then had a last meal with the dearly departed. The pottery dishes were left there and were often broken when those bones were shoves to one side. 

We found thousands of carbonized olive pits in the tombs so we know that olives were part of the meal. Some of the bodies had personal items like a scarab seal, necklace, rings, or tools. Most of the artifacts we found were pottery plates small jugs and wine amphora along with lots of bones.