Archaeological excavations near the ancient city of Megiddo, also known as Armageddon, have yielded fascinating insights into daily life and religious practices in the Late Bronze Age (around 3,300 years ago). The finds include a unique “tea set,” miniature temple, and one of the world’s oldest winepresses.
Among the most intriguing discoveries is a ceramic tea set shaped like a ram. Consisting of a teapot with a ram’s head spout and several small bowls, it was likely used for pouring valuable liquids such as milk, oil, or wine — perhaps even as offerings to Canaanite deities. Sheep and other livestock were highly valued in ancient Canaan, often sacrificed in religious ceremonies. The tea set’s presence near Megiddo suggests that people living outside the city walls might have engaged in ritual practices at a nearby rock outcrop they may have considered an outdoor altar.
This practice of making offerings outside the main temple complex was common. Alongside the tea set, archaeologists found storage jars and imported jugs from Cyprus buried in pits close to the site, suggesting locals brought these items, perhaps accompanied by agricultural produce, for ritual purposes.
A miniature ceramic temple unearthed at the same location offers a glimpse into Canaanite religious architecture of the period.
“This is what the real temples in the Canaanite Late Bronze Age may have looked like,” commented Amir Golani, one of the excavation directors from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The intricately crafted structure stands as a testament to the rich religious life surrounding Megiddo.
Further deepening our understanding of daily life is the discovery of a remarkable 5,000-year-old winepress carved into bedrock. This find provides concrete evidence for the production of wine in the region during the Early Bronze Age (around 5,000 years ago), confirming what had only been inferred from indirect evidence before. The presence of numerous residential buildings surrounding the press suggests it played a significant role within this early community.
These discoveries shed new light on Megiddo, a site with a rich and complex history spanning millennia. While renowned for its battles and biblical significance as Armageddon, excavations continue to reveal fascinating details about daily life and religious practices during both the Early Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age in Canaan.
