Donkeys played an important role in the lives of ancient Mediterranean people, providing both food and a means of carrying goods. New evidence from an early Bronze Age (2900–2600/2550 BCE) archaeological site in modern-day Israel shows that certain donkeys were also used in ritualistic sacrifices. The study, published in PLOS One, provides evidence that Egyptian donkeys were used in trade and ritualistically sacrificed by ancient Canaanites, while donkeys of local origin were used as food.
The study describes the burial of four donkeys found under a home at the Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath site in Israel, which was a major urban center in the early Bronze Age period. All of the donkeys were young females in the prime of their lives and were buried with their legs bound and heads facing east. The head of one of the donkeys was removed and placed on its abdomen, but it was also found facing eastward. The meticulous placement and arrangement of the four donkeys indicate a sacrificial or ritualistic burial.
The jaw bone of another donkey was found in a different area of the same site, along with sheep and goat remains. It appears that these animals were consumed as food, and their remains were discarded in a non-ritualistic manner. The teeth of the five donkeys were analyzed using multi-isotope analyses of carbon, oxygen and strontium. The researchers found that the four ritualistically buried donkeys had changes in their teeth that indicated that they were from the Nile Valley region, while the remains of the donkey used for food were of local origin.
This evidence indicates that the more exotic Egyptian donkeys had higher social value than their local counterparts. The study authors explain, “It is the Egyptian import status that is one of the key criteria for an animal to be selected for sacrifice. Being young and female are the other two variables. Thus, young female donkeys from Egypt are the ideal sacrificial animal at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath.” This also provides some insight into the importance of trade between the two regions, building upon the evidence of prior research.
Interestingly, the sacrificed donkeys were buried under a house that would have been considered to be in a “non-elite” neighborhood. This highlights that these ritualistic animal sacrifices were not only conducted by the wealthy and powerful people of the time, but also by more “middle-class” urban households.
Despite the limitations of the study, such as the small sample size and underdeveloped Egyptian isotopic baselines, this new information provides valuable insight into the daily life and trade customs of Bronze Age Canaanites.
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More information: Elizabeth R. Arnold et al, An isotopic perspective on equid selection in cult at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326421
Journal information: PLoS ONE
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