The Nahariyyah Goddess

Taken from the book "The Museums of Israel" by L.Y Rahamani.

The Nahariyyah Goddess (1750-1550 BC) Nahariyyah.

Height 0.22 m. stone

The mould was discovered between a temple and a high-place excavated near Nahariyyah's sea-shore; the cast shown at its side is modern. The horned goddess presumably represents Asherat-Yam (Asherah-of-the-Sea), the Great Goddess of the Canaanite city of Ugarit and of the sea-faring Canaanite traders and artisans. Finding the mould in this religious centre strongly suggests the local manufacturing of holy images for the benefit of the worshippers, who left evidence of their sacrificial meals in the many fireplaces, cooking-pots and sheep-bones found between the temple and the high-place, and by their offering-vessels upon the latter.