A slew of ancient artifacts were discovered in mid-2023 along an ancient pilgrimage route from Egypt to Mecca.
Archaeologists uncovered the 400-year-old items in Eilat, southern Israel, according to the study published in the Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World. Within the collection were clay objects, including a figuring depicting a naked woman with her hands raised. Archaeologists also uncovered incense altars, animal figurines, and a slew of colored quartz pebbles and pretty seashells.
The artifacts were found next to a camp site along the former route from Cairo, Egypt, the the Muslim holy city of Mecca, which is now located in Saudi Arabia, LiveScience noted. The researchers hypothesized that the artifacts were once used for “magical rituals” to help them along their journey.
Citation: Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World 3, 2 (2022) ; 10.1163/26666286-12340036
“This discovery reveals that people in the Early Ottoman Period — just as today — consulted popular sorcerers, alongside the formal belief in the official religion,” the research team said in a statement shared by the outlet. “The artifacts were found broken, and they may even have been purposely broken in the ceremonies.” (RELATED: Rare Zodiac Imagery Unearthed In Ancient Egyptian Temple)
Its the first time artifacts like these have been discovered in the region. It’s hoped that with more research and work, local authorities will be able to figure out what they were used for, and even why they were left along the road.