Plant, fruit analysis from Goliath’s biblical city sheds light on Philistine rituals
JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
In the systematic excavation project of the temple area in the lower city of Gath, a team from Bar-Ilan University has overseen the reconstruction of the plants used in Philistine rituals.
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Temple offerings – miniature as well as food serving vessels, and a shell of marine mollusc, Tonna galea found in one of the temples / (photo credit: AREN MAEIR)
The mysterious culture of the Philistines that flourished during the Iron Age (1200-604 BCE) profoundly affected the southern Levant’s cultural history, agronomy, and dietary customs. More than a quarter century of excavations at Tell es-Safi/Gath in central Israel, identified as the biblical Gath of the Philistines and the home of Goliath, has provided a unique window into the world of this ancient civilization.
In the systematic excavation project of the temple area in the lower city of Gath, a team from Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in Ramat Gan – led by archaeology Prof. Aren Maeir and archaeobotany Prof. Ehud Weiss – has overseen the reconstruction of the plants used in Philistine rituals.
“Our findings challenge previous understanding of Philistine ritual practices, offering a fresh perspective on their cultural practices, and the connections between Philistine culture and broader Mediterranean religious traditions,” Weiss said.
While many aspects of Philistine culture are well-documented, the specifics of Philistine religious practices and gods have long remained shrouded in mystery. The study by Maeir, Weiss, Dr. Suembikya Frumin, Maria Eniukhina, and Amit Dagan in Nature’s prestigious Scientific Reports entitled “Plant-Related Philistine Ritual Practices at Biblical Gath” contributes valuable new data to our understanding of the Philistines’ ritual practices, the team said.
Photograph of Chaste tree fruits produced using stereoscopic light microscope (credit: Dr. Suembikya Frumin)
The discovery of numerous plants in two temples unearthed at the site unraveled unprecedented insights into Philistine cultic rituals and beliefs – the food ingredients in their temple, the timing of ceremonies, and plants for temple decoration. Freshwater, agriculture, and the cyclical birth, death, and rebirth of a plant are recognized and venerated as transformative, and even magical, in the oldest myths, such as the Gilgamesh epic, the tale of Aqhat, and the worship of deities such as Tammuz, Ishtar, and Baal, they wrote. There is evidence of cultural connections between specific cultic traditions and certain plants.
Seasons affect Philistine religious practices
The fact that the wild plants in the assemblages are widespread in the Shephelah may also show that the Philistines used any fresh plants that could be used for decoration.
Frumin, the study’s lead researcher under Weiss’s supervision, studied Philistine plant use in their temples as part of her doctoral project. The team delved into the plant assemblages discovered within the temples’ precincts, uncovering a wealth of information regarding the significance of various plant species in Philistine religious rituals. Through meticulous examination and quantitative and qualitative analysis of the types of plants used, the timing of their harvest, modes of offering, and potential symbolic significance, the researchers pieced together a clearer picture of the Philistine approach to spirituality.
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