Ancient Food Remains Uncovered at Biblical Shiloh in Archaeological Discovery

Archaeologists have discovered ancient food remains at biblical Shiloh, a site traditionally identified as where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This find was made at Tel Shiloh in the West Bank, which is believed to be the historical location where the Ark stayed before its capture by the Philistines.

The discovery emerged from an Israelite-period ritual deposit and was near an ancient Canaanite fortification wall. According to the excavation team, two jars contained olives, and a third held lentils. One vessel contained approximately 500 burned olive pits.

Scott Stripling, the excavation director, noted that the olives were probably preserved in oil before burning. He suggested a fire, likely accidental, caused the preservation of these olives for thousands of years. “Once it started, the fire caught the whole area,” Stripling explained. The team plans to excavate further next year to gain more insights.

Before finding the jars, archaeologists uncovered an Israelite-period ritual deposit with around 10,000 animal bones, pottery vessels, and gold and silver objects like pendants and earrings. Stripling described it not as an ordinary dump but as a favissa, a place for sacrificial offerings. The storage jars were found two meters beneath this deposit.

The types of food discovered were not surprising. Stripling mentioned that olives and lentils were staples of the Mediterranean diet. He also stated that the Israelites who later lived in Shiloh were likely unaware of the older Canaanite storage jars beneath their sacrificial deposits.

The jars are being restored at Tel Aviv University, where further research is planned. Stripling anticipates that radiocarbon dating of the burned olive pits will reveal a Middle Bronze Age date. He also expressed plans to expand excavations to determine the original use of these jars, whether in a kitchen, storage room, or elsewhere in the settlement.