Posted on 09/14/2025 7:25:06 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that archaeologists uncovered rare 4,000-year-old wicks that are among the oldest known examples that have been found anywhere in the world. The discovery came as a team was excavating a set of Bronze Age tombs at the site of Newe Efraim near Yehud. Among the burial offerings, which also included pottery, jewelry, and metal weapons, were three clay oil lamps that still contained wicks inside. These objects rarely survive, not only because they were made from natural material that decays easily, but because by design they are intended to be lit and burnt, eventually disappearing. "This is a unique discovery that we did not expect could ever be found in the moist Mediterranean climate," said IAA researchers Naama Sukenik and Yonah Maor. "Although wicks were a common product for lighting in the ancient world, the fact that they are made of organic fibers makes it difficult to discover them in an archaeological dig." Laboratory analysis indicated that the wicks were made from reused linen textiles that were cut into long strips and twisted together. They then underwent a type of "fossilization" process over time that accounts for their preservation for thousands of years. Read the original scholarly article about this research in 'Atiqot. To read about recent redating of a cache of Bronze Age objects uncovered at the site of Megiddo in northern Israel, go to "Secrets of a Silver Hoard."
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeology.org ...
The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, alpha:
Oil lamp and textile wickDafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority
Very enlightening.
This "fossilization" process has been used on politicians in the U.S. Senate to preserve them in office for thousands of years.
Better to have them and not need them than
need them and not have them.
What was that which is produced from the ground, yet produces it, while its food is the fruit of the ground? — A wick.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_riddles#Solomon_and_the_Queen_of_Sheba
How did you light a wick without a constant flame source?
Would you have to light a fire every time you wanted to light a lamp?
If you do not have any you would ask a neighbor and for sure the village baker has live coals.
Many cultures at that time had a festival where all fires in a community would be put out and rekindled once a year. These festivals ranged from the benign (fire is kindled in one area and then all fires in the community are lit showing how we share what we have) to the truly horrific (let's not go there. You can look it up).
😉
Probably the same company that has sock kits that rely on self-harvested navel lint.
Yup, keep the home fires burning isn’t just a recent expression.
The last person who visited during the Bronze Age must have abided by that rule of thumb, as there were a few left.
Flint and steel does the trick.
They made a movie about that called “Quest For Fire”.
Any BIC lighters found yet?
😉
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