Ancient Canaanite Donkey Burials Reveal Egypt Trade Ties

Archaeologists have uncovered four young female donkey skeletons buried beneath the floors of middle-class homes in the ancient Canaanite city of Tell es-Safi/Gath, dating back around 4,500 to 4,700 years. Multi-isotope analysis of the donkeys' teeth confirmed these animals originated from Egypt's Nile Valley, indicating a significant trade connection and cultural exchange between Egypt and Canaan previously underestimated by scholars. The donkeys were ritually sacrificed and buried as foundation deposits to provide divine protection for the buildings, a practice showing that such elite rituals also occurred in domestic settings. In contrast, local donkeys found at the site were butchered and consumed, highlighting the symbolic and economic value placed on the imported Egyptian donkeys. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about Bronze Age interactions between these ancient civilizations and provides new insights into ritual practices and trade dynamics. This study, published in PLOS ONE, is the first to successfully trace the geographic origins of ritual donkey burials in the region using advanced scientific methods.