• Enigma Of Philistines Endures Despite Digs Jerusalem — An historical mystery — who were the Philistines? — is being unraveled slowly and careful- ly on a rural mound near Kib- butz Revadim just off the Jerusalem-Gaza road by ar- chaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research. Although the existence of the Philistines, tracing back more than 3,000 years, is known to readers of the Bible all over the world, little is known with certainty as to the life patterns of these in- dustrious "Sea People," who came unexpectedly from the Mediterranean to Isreal's The Philistines raised and ate pork, unlike their Israelite neighbors. southern coastal region in the 12th century B.C.E., and disappeared from the area some 600 years later. The Philistines were pre- sent in the land to witness the rise and decline of the Israelite and Judean kingdoms, and indeed were their rivals. But beyond that, historians and archaeologists know precious little else about them. Whom did they worship, how did they earn their living, and what were their cultural . ac- complishments? The problem is seriously compounded by the fact that the Philistines left no known written records. But they did leave unwrit- ten records in the form of their houses, artifacts and ritual and manufacturing in- stallations. It is these records that the archaeologists have been uncovering at Miqne, the site of Ekron, one of the Philistines' five capital cities (the others were Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza and Gath). Tel Miqne is the largest biblical period archaeological site yet discovered in Israel, covering more than 50 acres. First surveyed by the famed American archaeologist, W.F. Albright, in 1923-1924, ac- tual major excavations only began in 1984. It is located about ten miles inland from the Mediterranean seaport of Ashdod. Heading the staff of some 105 professionals and volunteers from Israel and abroad working at the site are Prof. Trude Dothan of the Hebrew University Institute of Archaeology and Prof. Seymour Gitin of the Albright Institute. "It is like trying to solve a huge puzzle," says Prof. Dothan of the attempt to learn from Ekron some of the secrets of the Philistine way of life and culture. She feels that what she and her col- leagues have so far revealed at Tel Miqne represents the major moments in the life of a large, urban, border city — the beginnings and the "last grasp" of Philistine culture, which flourished in the time of Kings David and Solomon and came to an end with the Babylonian conquest of 603 B.C.E. What still needs to be learn- ed in the life of Ekron is something of its middle years, when it was a small, fortified town under the shadow of a powerful Judean kingdom. In the recently completed excavation season, as well as in the three previous seasons, the archaeologists uncovered a great many artifacts of stone, faience, ivory and ceramics, including lovely, tiny animal figures reminis- cent of those found at other sites in the Mediterraean that were inhabited by people of Aegean origin. Of special note in Ekron are remnants of its huge olive oil industry of the 7th century B.C.E. Over 100 olive oil in- stallations have been discovered. In surveys of the rooms of the excavated in- stallations, four-horned altars were found, indicating some sort of cultic relationship to the olive oil production. Also of interest are the rich findings of ceramic vessels, made in distinctive Philistine style, near kilns discovered on the site that date back back to the 12th century B.C.E. In this year's dig, extensive progress was made on ex- cavating a monumental building in the city center dating back to the 11th cen- tury B.C.E., which might have been the palace of a rul- ing figure, or perhaps a building devoted to public assemblies, or even both. It has well preserved walls more than one meter high still bearing their original plaster, a rare find in archaeological excavations of such antiquity. Although the building is believed to extend to a total of more than 130 square meters, what has been uncovered so far are two rooms and a cour- tyard. The rooms appear to have been a shrine or "cult rooms," in one of which was Our Birmingham studio Grand Opening with free classes 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Two exercise studios. Men's and women's showers. Changing rooms. Boutique. Juice, muf- fins and coffee. Workouts rated "Excellent" by Monthly Detroit and "Toughest" by Metro Detroit magazines. e/zeitcae Get a feel for results-oriented exercise. Get sweaty! 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