CNN
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A well-known riddle likens the egg to treasure: a box with no hinges, no lock, no lid, but a golden treasure hidden inside. what am i
For Israeli archaeologists, eight prehistoric ostrich eggs (believed to be between 4,000 and 7,500 years old) were a treasure when they were discovered near an ancient hearth in the Negev, a desert region in southern Israel. proved to be equally valuable.
They were discovered during archaeological excavations at Be’er Milka farmland, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced Thursday.
According to an IAA press release, the eggs’ proximity to fire pits suggests they were deliberately collected by prehistoric desert nomads who used campsites.
“We have discovered a campsite that spans nearly 200 square meters (2,153 square feet) and has been used by desert nomads since prehistoric times,” IAA excavation director Lauren Davis said in a release. I’m here.
“Burned stones, flint, stone tools, pottery shards were found at the site, but the really special find is this collection of ostrich eggs. No, but these finds give us a sense of the nomadic presence in the desert.”
Davis added that the campground is covered in sand dunes, which preserves the eggs very well.
The IAA told CNN on Thursday that the site was excavated last week, but said ostriches were common in the area until they became extinct in the wild in the 19th century.
Their eggs were ornately decorated and prized among the elite circles of the Mediterranean civilizations of the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Besides being used as ornaments, ostrich eggs were also used in funerals, water bottles, and food sources.
“Ostrich eggs have been found in archaeological sites in the context of burials and as luxuries and water bottles. Naturally, they were used as a food source. It has the nutritional value of about 25 normal chicken eggs.
“Interestingly, although ostrich eggs are not uncommon in excavations, no large bird bones have been found. It may indicate that
