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Brilio.net/en - Its undoubtedly the dream of any boy on a school outing to an archeological site. The 7-year old Ori Greenhut was on an outing at Tel Rehov climbing a mound when something caught his wandering eye. When he picked it up and brushed the dirt off of it, he discovered a clay figurine of a woman.
"Ori returned home with the impressive figurine and the excitement was great. We explained to him this is an ancient artifact and that archaeological finds belong to the state," said Moriya Greenhut, Ori's mother
According to authorities, the figurine is some 3,400 years old. The family gave the figurine to the Antiquities Authority, which said the image of the woman was made by pressing soft clay into a mold.
Image via NBC News
Its not sure if the figurine is based on an actual woman, but according to Amihai Mazar, a professor and expedition director of the excavations at Tel Rehov, it may depict the fertility goddess Astarte. Astarte was worshipped from the Bronze Age through classical antiquity and was connected with fertility, sexuality and war.Her symbols were the lion, horse, sphinx, dove and a star within a circle indicating the planet Venus and she is usually depicted naked.
The figurine is quite common in the Canaanite culture. Canaan was a region in theAncient Near Eastduring the late2nd millennium BC. I
Mazar went on to say: Evidently the figurine belonged to one of the residents of the city of Rehov, which was then ruled by the central government of the Egyptian pharaohs
Ori has been awarded a certificate of appreciation for his good citizenship by the Israel Antiquities Authority at his school. His teacher, Esther Ledell, said: It was an amazing occasion.
(brl/red)
