A 5,500-year-old blade factory, believed to be from the Canaanite period, has been discovered in Kiryat Gat, Israel, approximately 40 miles south of Tel Aviv. The find was announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in late July via a Facebook post.
Archaeologists uncovered large flint cores used to produce extremely sharp, uniformly shaped blades. These served as knives for cutting and butchering, as well as harvesting tools like sickle blades. The site contained hundreds of underground pits used for crafting and storing the weapons.
The artefacts align with the material culture of Canaan during Abraham's era, as described in the Bible. The IAA has linked the discovery to the 'Canaanite blade industry', noting that 'only exceptional individuals' possessed the skills to create such blades.
This discovery provides evidence of organised, complex urban society at the onset of the Early Bronze Age, highlighting professional specialisation and advanced craftsmanship. The artefacts will be displayed at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.
