A scepter from the Canaanite temple that is believed to have been part of a life-sized "divinity statue." (Courtesy)
Posted on 06/22/2020 8:37:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
An approximately 3,200-year-old scepter found at a biblical site in southern Israel may be the first physical evidence of life-sized "divine statues" used in Canaanite rituals, according to a new report.
Yosef Garfinkel, an archaeology professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, wrote in the academic journal Antiquity that the scepter, which was made from bronze and coated in silver, was discovered inside the cellar of a Canaanite temple at Lachish.
He linked the scepter, which looks like a spatula, to a scepter found at Hatzor in the north, as well as to a small figurine found at the site of a Canaanite temple at Meggido.
In the hand of the figurine is a specter which Garkinfel called a "miniature version" of those found at Lachish and Hatzor. He also noted the scepter from Meggido has a complex pattern of circles hammered into it, the Haaretz daily reported, similar to the scepter from Lachish...
Based on these similarities, Garfinkel said the scepter from Lachish was likely once held in the hand of a life-sized statue there.
"The scepters from Lachish, Hazor and Megiddo can be considered characteristic attributes of the Canaanite god El. The scepter was the emblem of this god, an identifying marker and symbol of his power," he wrote in the article.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofisrael.com ...
A scepter from the Canaanite temple that is believed to have been part of a life-sized "divinity statue." (Courtesy)
“Garfinkel said the scepter from Lachish was likely once held in the hand of a life-sized statue there.”
The statue was probably destroyed by a BLM predecessor.
With the missing handle, it does look a silver(not gold)plated fly swat per the comments section.
Hey, even ancient temples had to have a kitchen, right? A priest cannot live on burnt offerings alone.
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Spatula City?.....................
Dang, beat me to it!
Pretty good ... the same folks that years before came in, trashed and burned the place, killed all the inhabitants, are the same folks digging around, trying to figure out how they live!
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