The ancient 'Masabana' in Israel and the games 'The Mill' and '58 Holes' were uncovered in Rahat

August 16, 2020   

A soap-making workshop - the oldest known in the country - was uncovered in recent weeks in an excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority and youth inside a wealthy house from the Islamic period - about 1,200 years ago, in the southern neighborhoods of the city of Rahat. Regular income from National Insurance? Check your eligibility for a monthly pension today For the past six months, hundreds of youth and adults from the Bedouin diaspora and the surrounding area, students and trainees from pre-military preparatory schools, have been employed in the extensive archaeological excavations being carried out at the site by the Israel Antiquities Authority, under the direction of Dr. Elena Kogan-Zehavi and with the assistance of Dr. Yael Abadi-Reis and Avinoom Lehavi. The excavations are being carried out in preparation for the development of new neighborhoods, including about 10,000 housing units in southern Rahat, at the initiative of the Negev Bedouin Development and Settlement Authority. The production of soap from olive oil is mentioned in writings from the 10th century AD, and was an important industry from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. In the process of preparing the soap, the olive oil served as a base to which ash produced from burning boric salt plants (Kili) containing potash and water was added. The mixture was boiled for about seven days and then the liquid material was transferred to a shallow pool, where the liquid solidified for about ten days, until pieces of soap could be cut from it. These were piled up for further drying, and the final product was only obtained after about two more months. Facilities identified with this industry were uncovered at the Rahat site. Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority took samples from the findings, in order to identify the materials used in the production process. Dr. Elena Kogan Zehavi, director of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority: "This is the first time that such an ancient workshop has been discovered, which allows us to reconstruct the traditional production process of the soap industry, hence its uniqueness. We know of important centers for soap production from a much later period - the Ottoman period. These were discovered in Jerusalem, Nablus, Jaffa and Gaza.".

The Masabana. Photo: Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority

Kogan adds: "The harsh desert climate, heat, and sandstorms required hygiene. It seems that the farm owners made soap for their own use and for sale in the area, and this may have been the source of their enrichment, as reflected in the mansion we uncovered." Svetlana Tellis, Northern Negev District Archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority: "Additional exciting finds were discovered in the mansion of the wealthy, which tell us about the daily lives of the local residents - ancient game boards. "One - a rounded limestone board for a strategy game called 'The Mill.' This game has been known since the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD - the Roman period, and is played to this day." Another board game called 'Dogs and Jackals' or '58 Holes' was discovered near the soap workshop. The game was first discovered in Egypt around 2000 BC and also spread to Mesopotamia and the entire Mediterranean basin. In Israel, the game was discovered in Megiddo and Tel Beit Shean. Two players participated in the game, and by throwing dice or sticks, the number of steps the game pieces advanced across the board was determined. It is possible that the goal of the game was to reach a certain point on the board with all the game pieces.

The Mill game board. Photo: Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority