Five small figurines, including carvings of African faces in black ebony wood, were discovered in the graves of women and children dating back approximately 1,500 years. The graves were uncovered during an archaeological excavation at Tel Malhata in the Arad Valley of the Negev region in southern Israel.
The research on the findings, conducted by Dr. Noam Michael of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the University of Cologne, alongside the IAA's Svetlana Talis, Dr. Yossi Nagar and Emil Aljam, was featured in the 117th issue of the authority's publication Atiqot.
Researchers explained that "the figurines indicate the presence of a Christian community that lived in southern Israel around 1,500 years ago, some of whom may have come from Africa. The figurines were carved from bone and ebony—a rare material sourced from southern India and Sri Lanka. They were designed as male and female figures with prominent African facial features and had a hole for wearing them as necklaces. It seems they were not merely decorative but served as personal items carrying a story of identity, tradition and memory."
The statutes were carefully placed in the graves alongside the women and children and were exceptionally well-preserved. According to the researchers, "It is possible that these figures represent ancestors and reflect traditions passed down through generations, even after the adoption of Christianity."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
During the Roman-Byzantine period, Tel Malhata served as a central crossroads for traders from South Arabia, India and Africa. The researchers noted, "African figurines in local Christian graves are a rare discovery that deepens our understanding of the cultural diversity among the inhabitants of this region around 1,500 years ago."
Among the offerings placed in the graves were glass vessels, alabaster stone jewelry and bronze bracelets. The graves themselves reflect traditional Christian burial practices from the 6th–7th centuries CE. "It is likely that a woman and child, buried side by side in graves containing two of the figurines, belonged to the same family—possibly mother and son," the researchers added.
The excavation also uncovered glass vessels, alabaster stone jewelry, bronze bracelets and ceramic bowls, which were likely part of funerary feasts connected to the burials.
IAA Director Eli Escusido said: "The findings at Tel Malhata are not only archaeologically significant but also humanly moving. They remind us that the Land of Israel has always been a meeting point of cultures and peoples. People came here, integrated into the local population, but at the same time, carried with them traditions and beliefs from distant lands."