Salvage excavations conducted prior to the expansion of Highway 66 in Israel have revealed the remains of an ancient wine press and cultic complex near Megiddo. The wine press was carved into the bedrock, with a sloping surface leading to the collection vat. Based on pottery recovered from the installation and adjacent residential structures, it has been dated to the Early Bronze I period (ca. 3000 BC).
Nearby, a cultic area dating to the Late Bronze II period (ca. 1400–1200 BC) was also unearthed. Within this area, the team excavated several ritual burials of cultic vessels situated in direct line of sight of the temple at Megiddo, but outside the city gate. The assemblage included storage jars, imported jugs from Cyprus, and a miniature ceramic model of a shrine. One especially remarkable find was an intact zoomorphic vessel shaped like a hollow ram, with its mouth serving as a spout. Researchers believe this unique vessel was used for libation offerings: worshipers would pour liquid into it using a small cup, then pour the contents out as a ritual offering. The location of the cultic complex may indicate that some Canaanites worshiped their gods outside of the city on the way to the main gates.
The cultic complex dates to roughly the same period as the biblical conquest of Canaan. The Bible records that the Israelites killed the king of Megiddo (Jos 12:21) but did not capture the city (Jgs 1:27). It also notes that the Israelites later adopted the worship practices of the surrounding peoples (Jgs 2:12). This Canaanite cultic site, contemporary with that period, provides valuable insight into the forms of worship that tempted the Israelites to apostasy.
Source: https://www.iaa.org.il/en/page/news-index (See “The Earliest Winepress and Evidence of Canaanite Folk Worship: Extraordinary Archaeological Discoveries Uncovered near Tel Megiddo in Israel's North” [November 5, 2025])
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