3,300-year-old cultist complex discovered in Israel — likely for 'storm god' worship

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last updated 8 January 2015

Archaelogists working at Israel's Tel Burna dig site have discovered a large, 3,300-year-old religious complex, UPI reports. At a meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists in Istanbul, they announced that they have unearthed a large stone structure, which includes a 55-foot by 55-foot courtyard and smaller, surrounding rooms. They also found artifacts like scarabs, fragments of masks, and burnt bones — which is suggestive of animal sacrifice — around the complex.

They believe the site once served as a meeting place for cultists, who would feast and worship there. Based on the era and region, the researchers think the intended deity was Baal, the storm god, though they can't say for sure yet. The war goddess Arat is another possibility.

You can read more about the find at UPI or see a photo of the site below: --Nico Lauricella