4,500-Year-Old Donkey Burials Reveal Early Trade Between Canaan and Egypt!
A remarkable archaeological discovery in central Israel is shedding new light on the cultural and economic ties between ancient Canaan and Egypt some 4,500 years ago. Excavations at Tell es-Safi/Gath, believed to be the site of the ancient city of Gath, have uncovered four complete skeletons of young female donkeys buried beneath the floors of modest domestic homes. These burials date back to the Early Bronze Age III period (approximately 2900–2550 BCE).
The donkeys were not only buried with care but were also in their prime breeding years, indicating they were highly valuable animals. What makes the discovery even more fascinating is the revelation, through detailed multi-isotope analysis of the animals’ teeth, that these donkeys originated in Egypt’s Nile Valley. According to a recent study published in PLOS ONE, this suggests they were deliberately brought from Egypt for ritual purposes. Such a practice hints at a deeper, more complex relationship between ancient Canaan and Egypt than previously thought.
Photo Credit: ER Arnold et al., PLoS One (2025)
Interestingly, the donkeys were found buried in what appears to have been a middle-class neighbourhood, not within grand temples or elite residences. Their legs were tied, and their heads were turned eastwards, likely for symbolic reasons, suggesting these were deliberate ritual burials. This type of burial is known as a foundation deposit, a tradition found in many ancient cultures where offerings were placed beneath new buildings to bring divine protection or blessing. The domestic setting of the find implies that rituals once thought to be the preserve of elites might have also taken place in ordinary households.
The imported donkeys contrast sharply with other animal remains found nearby, including a local donkey that had been butchered, along with remains of sheep and goats. Isotope testing confirmed these animals were raised locally and used for everyday consumption, while the Egyptian donkeys were clearly reserved for special or sacred use. This distinction underlines the care and purpose behind the choice of animals and their origins.
Although donkey burials have been recorded in other sites across the region, such as Tel Azekah, this is the first time researchers have been able to trace their exact geographic origin using isotope analysis. The evidence strengthens the belief that this part of the ancient city may have been home to traders. The presence of imported animals, donkey-shaped figurines, and even Egyptian plants suggests ongoing contact and exchange between Egypt and Canaan well before what many historians previously believed.
This discovery challenges older assumptions that interaction between the two regions was limited during this era. Instead, it points to a far more interconnected ancient world, where trade routes and shared rituals extended deep into what might seem like ordinary neighbourhoods.
Researchers are continuing to investigate the broader role of animals in ancient societies, not just in economics, but in religion, symbolism, and social structure. Their work highlights how even seemingly everyday parts of an ancient city can offer extraordinary insights into international connections and cultural practices from thousands of years ago.