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Olives

Iron Age Olive-Oil Center In Beit Aryeh Shows Israelite Kingdom’s Economic Power In Samaria

A newly published study highlights a major olive-oil production hub in Beit Aryeh during the Iron Age, illuminating how cultivation and pressing underpinned the northern Kingdom of Israel’s economy. Archaeologists said the site’s scale and organization point to robust state or regional management and long-distance trade, tying local farms to broader Mediterranean markets. The discovery adds texture to our picture of daily life, administrative structures, and resource flows in the biblical heartland.

Researchers noted that oil functioned as food, fuel, ritual material, and commercial commodity, making it strategically important for communities and rulers alike. Installation remains and pottery assemblages suggest sustained, coordinated activity rather than sporadic use, implying a reliable labor force and distribution system. Such findings help anchor textual references to agriculture in tangible evidence from production landscapes.

The study’s authors argued that environmental adaptation and technological ingenuity were key to the site’s success, from terrace management to press design. By mapping installations across the ridge, they traced patterns that likely connected estates, storage pits, and transport routes. The result is a window into an economy resilient enough to support culture, worship, and governance through the rhythms of the olive harvest.

(JPost/VFI News)

“[The Lord] brings you into a good land… a land of olive oil and honey.” — Deuteronomy 8:7–8

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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