Here's a recap of an article in the local paper;
"Beekeeping well-established in Biblical area, scientists find"
Archaeologists digging in northern Israel have discovered evidence of a 3,000 year old beekeeping industry, including remnants of ancient honeycombs, beeswax and what they believe are the oldest intact beehives ever found.
The findings in the ruins of the city of Rehov this summer include 30 intact hives dating to around 900 B.C. This finding offers unique evidence that an advanced honey industry existed in the Holy Land at the time of the Bible.
The beehives, made of straw and unbaked clay have a hole at one end to allow the bees in and out and a lid on the other end to allow the beekeeper access to the honeycomb inside. They were found in orderly rows, three high, in a room that could of accommodated around 100 hives.
The Bible repeatedly refers to Israel as "land of milk and honey" but that is believed to refer to honey made out of figs and dates, there is no mention of honey-bee cultivation. But the new finding shows that the Holy Land was home to a highly developed beekeeping industry nearly 3,000 years ago.
I copied this article form the local paper, it came from the Associated Press. As we all know where there is honey there is mead.
"Beekeeping well-established in Biblical area, scientists find"
Archaeologists digging in northern Israel have discovered evidence of a 3,000 year old beekeeping industry, including remnants of ancient honeycombs, beeswax and what they believe are the oldest intact beehives ever found.
The findings in the ruins of the city of Rehov this summer include 30 intact hives dating to around 900 B.C. This finding offers unique evidence that an advanced honey industry existed in the Holy Land at the time of the Bible.
The beehives, made of straw and unbaked clay have a hole at one end to allow the bees in and out and a lid on the other end to allow the beekeeper access to the honeycomb inside. They were found in orderly rows, three high, in a room that could of accommodated around 100 hives.
The Bible repeatedly refers to Israel as "land of milk and honey" but that is believed to refer to honey made out of figs and dates, there is no mention of honey-bee cultivation. But the new finding shows that the Holy Land was home to a highly developed beekeeping industry nearly 3,000 years ago.
I copied this article form the local paper, it came from the Associated Press. As we all know where there is honey there is mead.
