The ruins of an ancient weapons factory have been discovered in Israel, offering a unique insight into the Canaanites, a people extensively described in the Bible.
An excavation in Kiryat Gat, about 40 miles south of Tel Aviv, has unearthed a Canaanite workshop for the first time in the area.
Long flint blades alongside massive stones which would have been used to shape and mould weapons are among the objects uncovered by archaeologists.
Hundreds of underground pits, some lined with mud and bricks, have also been unearthed.
The excavation taking place in Kiryat Gat, about 40 miles south of Tel Aviv, has unearthed a Canaanite workshop for the first time in the area
|IAA
It is thought the pits would have served as storage areas, accommodation, workshops and ritual spaces.
The size and intricacy of the site has revealed that the Canaanites lived in organised settlements, producing flourishing trade networks and specialised crafts.
This appears to provide a tangible link between archaeological findings and society during the time of the Old Testament - with the Canaanites described as the original inhabitants of the Promised Land before the Israelites arrived and conquered the territory.
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said: "The most impressive findings discovered at the site are large flint cores, from which extremely sharp, uniformly shaped blades were produced.
MORE IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS:
Long flint blades alongside massive stones which would have been used to shape and mold weapons are among the objects uncovered
|IAA
"The blades themselves were used as knives for cutting and butchering, and as harvesting tools, like sickle blades.
"The production technology was extremely advanced and included the use of a kind of crane to exert precise pressure on the flint."
Dr Jacob Vardi, Head of the Prehistoric Branch of the IAA, said: "This is a sophisticated industry, not only because of the tools themselves, but also because of what is not found.
"The waste fragments, the debitage, were not scattered outside the site, perhaps to better protect and preserve the professional knowledge within the group of experts."
The site appears to provide a tangible link between archaeological findings and the society in the Old Testament
|IAA
Dr Vardi added: "Today, we understand that this site served as a centre, from which Canaanite blades were distributed across broad regions in the Levant.
"An advanced industry was revealed at the site, requiring an extremely high level of expertise.
"Only exceptional individuals knew how to produce the Canaanite blades.
"This is clear evidence that already at the onset of the Bronze Age, the local society here was organised and complex, and had professional specialisation."
The Canaanites are mentioned numerous times throughout the Old Testament, including in the books of Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Joshua.