A statue over 4,500 years old depicting the face of an ancient goddess, discovered by a farmer in southern Gaza Strip, has been assessed by archaeologists as having significant archaeological value, according to CNN.
Jamal Abu Rida, Director of the Hamas Tourism and Antiquities Authority, stated that the head statue of the ancient goddess, which was revealed to the public on Tuesday, April 26, was found in Sheikh Hamouda in Khan Younis.
The recently discovered head statue of the goddess Anat in the Gaza Strip. (Photo CNN).
“At first, I hoped to sell it to someone for money. But an archaeologist told me that it has great archaeological value,” said Nidal Abu Eid, the farmer who found the statue, in an interview with The New Arab.
The staff of the Tourism and Antiquities Authority later concluded that the statue belongs to Anat, the goddess of love, beauty, and war in Canaanite mythology, Rida reported.
“I stumbled upon it. It was covered in mud, and I cleaned it with water. I realized it was something valuable, but we did not know it had such significant archaeological value,” Nidal Abu added.
The over 4,500-year-old statue is considered a “treasure” due to its immense archaeological value. (Photo CNN)
Carved from limestone and measuring 22 cm in height, the statue, dating back to around 2500 BC, was discovered by farmer Nidal Abu Eid while working on his land in Khan Younis, as confirmed by the Hamas Tourism and Antiquities Authority.
“The statue represents the goddess Anat,” said Jamal Abu Reda, the antiquities officer at the Hamas Tourism and Antiquities Authority. This is the latest archaeological discovery in Gaza and is deemed highly valuable.
In Gaza, tourism at archaeological sites is significantly restricted due to the blockade imposed by Israel since the militant group Hamas took control of the region in 2007.
Earlier in February, workers at a construction site in northern Gaza discovered 31 Roman-era tombs dating back to the first century AD.
