Gaza Farmer Finds 4,500-Year-Old Statue Of Canaanite Goddess Of Beauty, Love And War

A stone statue of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war has recently been discovered in Gaza Strip. According to the BBC, a farmer working his land uncovered the head of a 4,500-year-old statue of Canaanite goddess Anat. On Tuesday, Jamal Abu Rida, director of Gaza's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, announced that the head was found in Sheikh Hamouda in Khan Younis. 

It is to mention that the Canaanites were ancient Pagan people whom the Bible says inhabited Jerusalem and other parts of the Middle East before the advent of monotheism. Therefore, Palestinian archaeologists say that the head of the Canaanite deity, Anat, dates back 4,500 years to the Late Bronze Age. The discovery of the limestone statue is also a reminder of how the Gaza strip - part of an important trade route for successive ancient civilisations - was originally a Canaanite settlement. 

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According to the BBC, the 22cm-high carving shows the face of the goddess wearing a serpent crown. Farmer Nidal Abu Eid, who came across the head while cultivating his field, said that he found the statue by chance. “It was muddy and we washed it with water,” he added. "We realised that it was a precious thing, but we didn't know it was of such great archaeological value," Mr Nidal told the media outlet. 

The statue Anat is now on display in Qasr al-Basha, a historic building that serves as one of Gaza's few museums. Speaking at a press conference, Jamal Abu Rida informed that the statue was “resistant against time” and had been carefully examined by experts. He also went on to add that the discovery made a political point. 

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"Such discoveries prove that Palestine has civilisation and history, and no one can deny or falsify this history," he said. "This is the Palestinian people and their ancient Canaanite civilisation,” Mr Rida added. 

Meanwhile, as per BBC, not all archaeological finds in Gaza have been so highly appreciated or fared so well. The strip receives virtually no external tourists, as the movement in and out of the territory is heavily restricted.