Archaeological Stumpers

BAR readers suggested some imaginative, useful and even humorous functions for the puzzling clay tootsie-rolls that were found at Biblical Lachish (“Mystery Find at Lachish,” BAR 05:05).

There is a difference, however, between the Lachish tootsie-rolls and the archaeological stumpers which follow. The Lachish tootsie-rolls are unique. There are no parallels. They have not been found at any other site. But the archaeological puzzlers described here have been found at many sites and have therefore already engaged the attention of numerous archaeologists and scholars. But still we are without solutions.

Can BAR readers stretch their imaginations once again?

These stumpers were all found in a recent excavation near Akko on Israel’s northern Mediterranean coast. An industrial stone quarrying company was excavating when workers hit some ancient tombs. The company immediately notified the Department of Antiquities which then dispatched Sarah Ben-Arieh and Gershon Edelstein, two Department archaeologists, to supervise the scientific excavation of the tombs.

Ben-Arieh and Edelstein uncovered five undisturbed tombs from the 14th century B.C. (Late Bronze Age). Each of the graves contained from one to three skeletons. Each skeleton was laid in an extended position, sometimes with one hand across the chest.