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Researchers confirmed these donkeys spent most of their lives in Egypt’s Nile Valley before arriving in Canaan.
By Shula Rosen
A new archaeological find in Israel transforms what historians have previously understood about ancient ties between Egypt and Canaan.
Archaeologists found four donkey skeletons buried beneath middle-class homes at Tell es-Safi/Gath, in today’s Israel, that arrived from Egypt around 4,700 years ago.
The donkey skeletons prove that connections between the two societies lasted longer than experts had previously believed.
All four donkeys were female and in their prime, sacrificed and carefully buried under the floors of houses. Their legs were neatly gathered, and they were all facing east. Nearby, a local donkey was found butchered for food, showing the locals clearly treated imported and homegrown animals very differently.
“When I joined the excavations at Safi, the first donkey burial had already been discovered,” said Dr. Elizabeth Arnold of Grand Valley State University, who studied the animals’ teeth. “Only at the end of her life, she had come to Safi and was sacrificed.”
Using isotope analysis, which tracks elements absorbed through diet and environment, researchers confirmed these donkeys spent most of their lives in Egypt’s Nile Valley before arriving in Canaan. This goes against previous ideas that Egypt and Canaan had little contact during the Early Bronze Age III (around 2900–2600 BCE).
Prof. Aren Maeir, excavation director at Tell es-Safi, thinks these donkey burials were probably foundation deposits—objects buried under buildings to bring good luck and protection. “The Jewish mezuzah is perhaps something similar,” he said.
The discovery sheds light on how early Canaanite cities worked—economically, culturally, and spiritually. “The donkey was the Cadillac of the times,” Maeir said, highlighting how valuable these animals were for trade and daily life.
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