A Bronze Age sculpture has been uncovered at an excavation site near Tel Aviv, in an area intended for the construction of houses. Archaeologists have hailed the piece, which depicts a figure "in a state of reflection."
Archaeologists in Israel have discovered a 3,800-year-old figurine depicting a person seemingly deep in thought, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) revealed Wednesday.
The 18-centimeter high artwork, an earthenware vessel incorporating the crouching figure's body into its design, was found in October on land intended for housebuilding in Yahud near the city of Tel Aviv.
"The level of precision and attention to detail in this almost 4,000-year-old sculpture is truly impressive," said Gilad Itach, excavation director for the IAA. The figure is wearing a hat and resting its chin on one hand. Its pose is reminiscent of French sculptor Auguste Rodin's early 20th-century masterpiece known as "The Thinker."
The ancient vessel was found in several pieces and had to be reconstructed by the Israel Antiquities AuthorityImage: picture alliance/Israel Antiquities Authority
"One can see that the face of the figure seems to be resting on its hand as if in a state of reflection," said Itach.
The Bronze Age piece was unearthed along with other ancient objects, including daggers, arrowheads, and a part of an axe. Archaeologists believe the site was the grave of a high-standing member of the local community.
"As far as I know," said Itach, "this is the first time such an extensive collection of funerary goods, including such a unique vessel, has been discovered in this country."
Israel has been the site of many modern archaeological discoveries as it served as a geographical bridge between the ancient Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. The country also contains multiple holy cites for the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions.
ae/kl (dpa, AFP)
Mesopotamia: Where history got its start
The land between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers in the Middle East is one of the cradles of Western civilization. Many inventions from the regionn are still with us - though we're often fully unaware of their origins.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Scholz
First cities
Mankind's first cities were founded on the banks of Euphrates and Tigris Rivers around 6,000 years ago. Over three millennia, the Mesopotamian civilization developed into a dense network of cities, eventually giving rise to veritable urban centers like Babylon and Nineveh, the latter reconstructed here in an illustration.
Image: Imago/UIG
First empire
The Mesopotamian civilization once existed in the region currently occupied by Iraq and Syria, divided into Northern Assyria and Southern Babylonia. At first, the region was made up of many small provinces, but around 5,000 years ago they joined forces and became one large territory.
Image: DW
First script
At first glance, it looks like a beautiful pattern of simple lines and stars. But this image shows an example of the earliest known system of writing, called cuneiform, which dates back around 6,000 years to early Mesopotamia. Cuneiform led to the eventual development of the first alphabets in around a dozen different languages.
Image: Service presse/Musee du Louvre-Lens
First kings
The Mesopotamian kings, including Tukulti-Ninurta I, named on this pedestal, were said to receive their powers from God. In return, they were responsible for providing security and planning their cities, and for enforcing justice with the first written laws. This exhibit is one of 12 on loan from the Berlin State Museums for the Louvre exhibition.
Image: Service presse/Musee du Louvre-Lens
First agriculture
In Mesopotamia, hunters and gatherers became farmers and cattle breeders. For the first time in history, people no longer depended on berries and wild game for sustenance; instead, they planted fields and cared for livestock. They even built irrigation systems to supply arid southern regions with water. Around this time, milk also began being processed into varied products like yogurt and cheese.
Image: Service presse/Musee du Louvre-Lens
First wheel
This crucial invention was also developed in Mesopotamia. In this relief sculpture, a carpenter is seen chiseling an axle. The Mesopotamians also developed other innovative crafts, such as braiding and textiles. They also experimented with fire, creating ceramics, metals and even glass.
Image: Service presse/Musee du Louvre-Lens
Divine hierarchies
With eyes made of lapis lazuli, this masterpiece in the Louvre-Lens exhibition portrays a praying Ebih-Il, a Syrian official from the 25th century B.C. Religion was a dominant force in Mesopotamia. The world of humans was seen as a reproduction of the divine world. High-ranking gods were served by lesser gods - humans were at the end of line and had to be obedient and hard-working.
Image: Service presse/Musee du Louvre-Lens
The end
In the year 331 B.C., Alexander the Great brought an end to the Mesopotamian civilization and spread Greek culture throughout the region. Mesopotamian traditions and ways of life were lost, until they were excavated thousands of years later. They will be on display, some for the first time, at the Louvre-Lens through January 23.
