Archaeologists have recently uncovered ancient food remains at Tel Shiloh, believed to be the biblical site where the Ark of the Covenant was housed for centuries. Located in the West Bank, Tel Shiloh is traditionally identified with biblical Shiloh. The Ark was kept here before its capture by the Philistines.
The discovery occurred beneath an Israelite-period ritual deposit, next to an ancient Canaanite fortification wall. The excavation team identified two jars that contained olives and a third that held lentils. An analysis revealed one vessel had about 500 burned olive pits. Scott Stripling, the excavation director, noted that the olives were likely preserved in oil before being burned. He suggested that an accidental fire might have preserved them for thousands of years.
Stripling explained how the sealing of the jars preserved them effectively. “Some sort of accident” likely started a fire that spread across the area. He indicated that a broader excavation is required next year to better understand the context.
Before reaching these jars, archaeologists found an Israelite-period ritual deposit containing 10,000 animal bones, pottery vessels, and eight gold and silver objects. This deposit was not ordinary waste but a favissa, where sacrificial offerings were deliberately buried.
The excavation involved careful removal of debris, which eventually required ladders for the team to access the trench. Stripling remarked on the surprising scale of the olive pits, though the types of food like lentils and olives were expected due to their significance in the Mediterranean diet.
Interestingly, Israelites who later settled in Shiloh likely did not know these Canaanite storage jars lay beneath them. Stripling anticipates the burned olive pits will yield reliable radiocarbon dating, estimating them to belong to the Middle Bronze Age. Restoration work is ongoing at Tel Aviv University, where researchers aim to learn more.
The team plans to widen the excavation to ascertain whether these jars were part of a kitchen, storage room, or other area within the ancient settlement. “These jars have been buried there waiting for us to find them,” Stripling commented on their historical significance.