Carved in limestone and 22 centimeters long, the sculpture depicting the face of an ancient goddess was found by a farmer cultivating his land in Khan Younis.
A more than 4,500-year-old stone statuette depicting the face of an ancient goddess has been discovered in the southern Gaza Strip, archaeological authorities in the Palestinian enclave said on Monday.
Read alsoNotre-Dame de Paris: extraordinary archaeological discoveries on the edge of the site
Carved from limestone and 22 centimeters long, the statuette dates to 2,500 BC. was found by a farmer working his land in Khan Younis, according to the Hamas Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the ruling Islamist movement in Gaza. “The statue represents the Canaanite goddess Anat, who was the goddess of love and beauty,” Jamal Abou Reda, in charge of antiquities at the ministry, said in a statement. It was discovered on an important “overland trade route for several civilizations” living in what is now the Gaza Strip, Abu Reda said.
In February, workers at a construction site in northern Gaza uncovered 31 Roman-era tombs, dating back to the first century. The findings are the latest in Gaza, where tourist visits to archaeological sites have been restricted since the Israeli-imposed blockade after Hamas took power in 2007.
Also readA Roman necropolis discovered at a construction site in northern Gaza
Israel and Egypt, countries neighboring the Gaza Strip and home to some 2.3 million Palestinians, are severely restricting entry and exit into and out of Palestinian territory. In January, a 5th-century Byzantine church was reopened by Hamas with the help of foreign donors after years of restoration work.