Ancient Canaanite ritual artifacts and a 5,000-year-old winepress have been unearthed at Tel Megiddo in Israel, the biblical site known as Armageddon from the Book of Revelation. The discovery was made near Tel Megiddo on November 5, as part of an excavation conducted alongside the construction of Highway 66 in the Jezreel Valley. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the find, highlighting its significance in understanding the region’s ancient history and religious practices.
The site, referenced in the Book of Revelation, is known in Hebrew as ‘Har Megiddo,’ or ‘Mountain of Megiddo.’ The finds date from the Early Bronze Age, around 3000 B.C., to the Late Bronze Age, approximately 1270 B.C., offering a glimpse into the region’s long history of settlement and activity. The standout artifact was the rock-carved winepress, described by officials as the oldest ever discovered in Israel. This find provides new and clear evidence that early wine production actually took place in the region, confirming theories that had previously been based on indirect evidence.
Archaeologists also uncovered evidence of a Canaanite folk cult dating back 3,300 years, including a ceramic model of a shrine and animal-shaped ritual vessels. These artifacts were carefully placed in the ground in an orderly manner as ritual offerings, suggesting a ceremonial practice that was conducted outside the main city. The IAA stated that these offerings included a miniature ceramic model of a shrine, storage jars, imported jugs and juglets from Cyprus, and a unique set of vessels potentially used for libations. The burial locations suggest that this folk cult may have been composed of local farmers who could not enter the main temple, allowing them to perform rituals and offer agricultural produce or liquids such as milk, oil, or wine.
Officials emphasized that the excavation revealed a new part of the settlement matrix in the city, highlighting the importance of the site in understanding the region’s ancient history and daily life. Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, remarked that the findings are revealing the wealth of history embedded in the soil, offering insights into the daily life and beliefs of the region’s residents over thousands of years. Additionally, the discovery is part of a broader context of recent findings at Tel Megiddo, including evidence of a biblical battle that suggests the presence of an Egyptian army, potentially part of a force that arrived after the collapse of the Assyrian Empire.