Gaza Farmer: A Palestinian farmer discovered t according to reports.
Nidal Abu Eid, a palaestinian farmer while ploughing his land in Khan Yonis, in the Gaza Strip, stumbled upon the ancient stone head of a 4,500-year-old statue of the Canaanite goddess of love and war.
4500 year old Canaanite God
He said they came to it accidentally by chance and as it was muddy just they washed with water they realised what it was. Intially the farmer had thought that he would sell it to make money but an archaeologist had told him that it was of great archaeological value. And made him hand it over to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, per NBC News, who have put it on display at the Al-Basha Palace Museum in Gaza City.
Also Read: Kili Paul: Tanzanian Internet Sensation Kili Paul Attacked By Knife
The limestone statue is dated to 2,500 BC, the ministry noted – It shows the head of the Canaanite goddess Anat who, according to Canaanite mythology, was the deity of love and war. She was famous for her youthful looks and ferocity in battle.
Canaanite God
The statue shows Anat’s head encircled by a snake crown. Historians believe Anat influenced the character of the Greek goddess Athena, who was also regularly portrayed with snakes surrounding her.
The Canaanites were an ancient group of pagan people who lived in the land of Canaan, an area that may have included parts of modern-day Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Canaan is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament.
The Canaanites were polytheistic people who worshipped local deities, several of which were co-opted by subsequent civilizations. In 2020, archeologists unearthed an ancient Canaanite temple in southern Israel and an idol of the Canaanite god Baal.
Also Read: Met Gala 2022: A Sparkly night which hosted more than 400 celebrities from around the world.