Ostrich eggs over 4,000 years old found in Israeli desert

Israeli archaeologists find eight ostrich eggs more than 4,000 years old during excavations in the desert NegevThis was reported by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

“Eight ostrich eggs, over 4,000 years old, were found near an old fire pit in the sand dunes. nitsanain the Negev,” the AAI said in a statement.

Although the exact date of origin of the eggs has not yet been determined, researchers estimate that they could be up to 7,500 years old.

The discovery took place in agricultural fields from the community of Beer Milka, in the south Israelvery close to the border Egyptwhen preparing new lands for sowing.

“This is a very important discovery that, with the help of modern scientific methods, can teach us a lot. nomadic peoples deserts in ancient times,” said Lauren Davis, AAI excavation director.

“We found a site with an area of ​​about 200 square meters, which was used by desert nomads from prehistoric times,” the expert added, noting that among the finds were also “baked stones, flint and stone tools, as well as fragments of ceramics”.

ostrich extinction

The AAI statement states that ostriches were common in this area at the beginning prehistoric periods until its extinction in the wild in the 19th century and explained that in the past, its eggs have already been found in archaeological sites of different eras.

As for the use of these eggs, experts include their use as a food source, as decorative items, and even in a funerary context.

“The proximity of the group of eggs to the slab indicates that this is not an accidental find, but a deliberate collection of eggs,” said Davis, who described that eggs “they were crushed, but well preserved, despite being found in the surface layer.”

The next step will be to study the site and establish a more accurate date of origin, as well as the reconstruction eggs to try to understand what they were given for.

EFE