Israel: Archaeologists discover intact burial chamber dating to Biblical Pharaoh Ramses II
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Israel’s Antiquity Authority (IAA) stated Sunday that an intact burial chamber dating to the time of Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, the Biblical Pharaoh associated with Moses, has been discovered at the Palmachim National Park in Rishon Lezion, DW reports.
Described by researchers as “frozen in time,” the chamber is inside a cave that contains at least one relatively complete skeleton that was found among other remains that were not preserved well enough to provide DNA information about who the deceased was, DW said. The chamber had been undisturbed for 3,000 years until it was found by accident at a beach in the Palmachim National Park.
The chamber contains dozens of pieces of intact pottery dating to Ramses II, who died in 1213 BC, DW said. Moreover, the chamber holds bronze artifacts, including arrows and spearheads, that were laid out as would be expected for Bronze-Age era burial rites.
“These vessels were burial offerings that accompanied the deceased in the belief that they would serve the dead in the afterlife,” the IAA said in a statement.
Archaeologist David Gelman added in a separate statement: “The fact that these people were buried along with weapons, including entire arrows, shows that these people might have been warriors, perhaps they were guards on ships — which may have been the reason they were able to obtain vessels from all around the area.” Gelman said.