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Biblical Philistines and the 'Sea Peoples': Ancient Dna Is Starting to Reveal Who These Mystery People Were
By Hannah Osborne On 7/3/19 at 2:01 PM EDT
he ancient remains of 10 Biblical Philistines uncovered at an Iron Age cemetery are helping scientists understand who these people were and where they came from. The results potentially link them to the so-called 'Sea Peoples'—a group thought to have migrated across the Mediterranean and caused a major cultural shift in the region over 3,000 years ago.
From around the 12th century B.C., civilizations across the Eastern Mediterranean started to collapse. Cities were destroyed and the region was plunged into disarray. At this point, it is believed that a mystery group of seafaring people swept through the region, attacking places like Canaan, Syria and Egypt.
Until now, it was unclear whether the cultural upheaval was driven by internal issues, or from the movement of people into new territories. Limited archaeological evidence meant determining the true identity of the Sea Peoples was extremely challenging.
However, researchers recently excavated the remains of 10 individuals that lived in the ancient port city of Ashkelon 3,000 to 3,500 years ago. In the Hebrew bible, Ashkelon was a core Philistine city. Understanding the genetic origins of these people—and how they changed over time—allows scientists to understand the cultural exchanges that were taking place at the time.
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Biblical Philistines and the 'Sea Peoples': Ancient DNA is starting to reveal who these mystery people were
By Hannah Osborne On 7/3/19 at 2:01 PM EDT
he ancient remains of 10 Biblical Philistines uncovered at an Iron Age cemetery are helping scientists understand who these people were and where they came from. The results potentially link them to the so-called 'Sea Peoples'—a group thought to have migrated across the Mediterranean and caused a major cultural shift in the region over 3,000 years ago.
From around the 12th century B.C., civilizations across the Eastern Mediterranean started to collapse. Cities were destroyed and the region was plunged into disarray. At this point, it is believed that a mystery group of seafaring people swept through the region, attacking places like Canaan, Syria and Egypt.
Until now, it was unclear whether the cultural upheaval was driven by internal issues, or from the movement of people into new territories. Limited archaeological evidence meant determining the true identity of the Sea Peoples was extremely challenging.
However, researchers recently excavated the remains of 10 individuals that lived in the ancient port city of Ashkelon 3,000 to 3,500 years ago. In the Hebrew bible, Ashkelon was a core Philistine city. Understanding the genetic origins of these people—and how they changed over time—allows scientists to understand the cultural exchanges that were taking place at the time.
continued
Biblical Philistines and the 'Sea Peoples': Ancient DNA is starting to reveal who these mystery people were