A small statue of Hathor, 3000 years old ancient Egyptian deity has been found on Palmahim Beach in Tel Aviv, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.
Lydia Marner, a 74-year-old Azerbaijani immigrant from Lod, and her husband walk along the beach every week. As they were walking near the water about a month ago amid stormy weather, Marner noticed an unusual stone floating in the water near her.
The figurine dating back to the period between 1500 and 1000 BC.Though her name may not sound familiar today, Hathor was once one of the most powerful deities among the 42 state gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt.
“It was a rather stormy day; the waves were high, and the weather was wintry,” Marner was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying. “During the walk by the water, I noticed a stone coming towards me. I immediately called my husband and told him; this isn’t something usual. I saw that there was something unusual there.”
Marner contacted the Israeli Antiquities Authority, which came to the site and examined the statue, and later granted the woman a certificate of appreciation.
Dr. Amir Golani, an expert on the Bronze Age at the Antiquities Authority, stated that “these figurines, which were used for worship and are usually identified with the Egyptian goddess Hathor, are typical of the Canaanite culture in the Land of Israel – mainly in the Late Bronze Age and also in the Iron Age A.”
