Archaeologists uncover 5,000-year-old winepress, Canaanite folk worship evidence near Tel Megiddo
Discoveries near Tel Megiddo offer insight into ancient Canaanite life and urbanization. Finds include a 5,000-year-old winepress and ritual offerings positioned in sight of the city's main temple.
By Joanie Margulies, Jerusalem Post, November 5, 2025
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-872848
Archaeological excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) near Tel Megiddo have uncovered an approximately 5,000-year-old hewn winepress, one of the oldest ever discovered in Israel, alongside unique ritual evidence of ancient Canaanite folk worship.
The extraordinary finds offer new insights into the expansion of settlement at the onset of urbanization and the ancient religious life that existed in the Jezreel Valley before the Israelites entered the region. The excavations were carried out ahead of a major road upgrade project along Highway 66, initiated by the Ministry of Transport and financed by Netivei Israel – National Transport Infrastructure Company.
The most ancient discovery dates back 5,000 years to the Early Bronze Age IB (Early Canaanite period). Archaeologists exposed a small wine production press carved into the rock, featuring a sloping treading surface and a collection vat.
Dr. Amir Golani and Barak Tzin, IAA Excavation Directors, emphasized the significance of the find: "This winepress is unique, one of very few known from such an ancient period when urbanization first took place in our region". They added that while indirect evidence suggested wine production 5,000 years ago, this is the "smoking gun" that provides clear proof of early wine production in the area.
The discovery of many residential buildings around the winepress suggests its importance to the community and indicates that Megiddo's settlement expanded far beyond the boundaries of the well-known tel at that time.
The excavation also uncovered additional surprises from the Late Bronze Age II (Late Canaanite period, about 3,300 years ago), shedding light on the ancient Canaanite cult outside of Megiddo.
Ritual vessels were found carefully placed in the ground as ritual offerings.
Unique Ram Vessel reveals ancient Canaanite folk cult
A miniature ceramic model of a shrine, imported jugs from Cyprus, and a unique set of ceremonial vessels were among the items included.Dr. Amir Golani told The Jerusalem Post that what makes this winepress different is that a date is finally associated. "We were able to date the winepress to the early Bronze I period, and this is a very important time, when local society had no written records yet, but they were just beginning to create cities... what we call the first urbanization,” he said. Golani added that this discovery helped archaeologists put a conclusive timeline on the origination of wine made in ancient Israel.
"Up until now, all the evidence for wine production from such an early period of 5,000 years ago, circumstantial evidence,” Golani added. “Now we can definitively say when and where its production began in Israel.”
This complete set, which was likely used for libations (ceremonial pouring of liquids), included a zoomorphic vessel shaped like a ram. Researchers explained that the ram vessel was designed with a funnel and a spout. Once filled with a valuable liquid like milk, oil, or wine, tilting the ram would spill the liquid from its mouth into a small bowl.
The burial location, situated in direct line of sight to the large temple area at Tel Megiddo, may indicate a Canaanite folk cult taking place outside the city. Researchers believe this was possibly used by local farmers offering liquid consecrations on their way to the main city gate.
In reference to the cultic finds, dating back to the Late Bronze Age, Golani added that other kinds of worship were occurring in Canaan. “Not everybody went to the temple. Many people went out in the fields... And in looking at the great temple from afar, they made their offerings from outside the city,” he said, adding the findings could be indicative of a peasant or poor people’s religion.
Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, noted that the finds allow researchers to become "acquainted with the daily life and beliefs of the region's residents over the course of thousands of years.”
These findings will be presented to the public starting next week at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of the Land of Israel in Jerusalem.
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