European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gazing Industrial zoning City planning and world Trade in the Iron age in an artist s View of a Philistine Olive Oil factory a Man adjusts Stone weights that pull Down the wooden beam. Crushing a Basket of olives Oil is collected in the Middle base.  t a by the associated press philistines Are depicted in the Bible As an uncouth people who used the treachery of Delilah and the brute Force of Goliath against the ancient israelite. Even today the term Philistine Means someone who lacks culture and refinement. But archaeologists who have been exploring 3,000 year old ruins in Southern Israel say the philistines May have gotten a bum rap. They say the philistines were actually the creators of a sophisticated society that endured for six centuries. The perspective of the Bible is very negative and excavations prove philistines weren t such bad Guys new vote Tom i p Ceramic Oliva Oil Vesta s found at the ancient Philistine City of Ekron. Wednesday november 25, 1987 this impression has lasted through Tho  said soy out Gilt in. Director of the w f Albright Institute of archaeological research in Jerusalem he said the authors of the Bible despised the philistines because they had slain King Saul and stolen Tho Ark of the covenant which contained Tho two Stone tablets on which Tho ten commandments Wero written ancient israelite feelings about the philistines were contained in stories such As Samson and Delilah in which a Philistine woman robbed an israelite Champion of his strength and David and Goliath in which an unto Outing and Youthful the Phird defeats Tho Gian heavily armed Philistine brute let s get rid of the idea they were uncultured uneducated it s the reverse of what they were said Gitelm he said although no Philistine literature has yet been found they were Garcal builders Groat industrialists and very adaptable people " Gittin is co director with Titi do Dolhan. A hebrew University archaeology pro lessor. Of a 5 year excavation at Tel mine. Which they behave to be the ancient Philistine City of Ekron the 50-acre site the largest biblical Era dig in Israel is about six Miles Inland from the modern port of Ashdod. The philistines lived in Phish a. Which stretched along the Mediterranean Soa from modern Day Tel Aviv to the Gaza strip Dothan said Tho Early philistines a seafaring people who May have come from the greek Island of Crete were highly organized built their cities on the basis of an Urban plan and ran an artistic Ceramic making Industry. It is Clear from what we have found that they wanted to live in their own Milieu and they reconstructed the background of things they Wero used to. Ranging from Beer jugs to  said Dolhan. She said the Stylo was disc clively Aegean the Linds which were brought to the Albright Center for study after last summer s dig. Include an Ivory handle with a delicately carved lace of a woman with a Mona Lisa smile. The philistines red and Black Poller ars were the most advanced in Iron age Israel and their vases Are decorated with Aegean style fish and Birds. Gittin said the philistines dominated the holy land militarily by having a monopoly on Iron making and Ihen commercially by controlling Olive Oil production. At Tel mine the archaeologists found extensive Olive Oil presses that provided 70 years of Prosperity in the seventh Century . The olives were grown by israelite Farmers in the neighbouring Judean Hills. Despite a history of warfare the israelite and philistines cooperated because Tho assyrians had threatened both sides with deportation unless peace prevailed Gittin said. Olive Oil in the seventh Century . Was far More important than Petroleum Oil today said Gitelm noting it was used to heat and Light Homes to Cook to make cosmetics and to anoint the body. Today there Are alternatives to Oil such As Coal and nuclear Energy but there were none in those Days he said. The excavators of Ekron have found 204 Olive presses far More than in any other City of the period there Likely Are More since less than 3 percent of the site has been excavated. Gillin said according to rough estimates the Ekron Oil Industry sold at least three tons a year a huge production at the time although Only a fraction of Israel s modern production of 4,000 ions a year for the seventh Century the Phi Holmes were High Lech. Their presses produced 13 to 26 Gallons compared to other presses which had a 7vi-Lo-10w gallon capacity Gittin said the Oil Boom and Philistine society came to an end in 603 b a when the babylonians conquered ancient Israel and Philistia. Burning Ekron and other Philistine cities to the ground. All that is left of the Philistine culture today is the name Palestine adopted by palestinian nationalists Lor the land that makes up modern Day Israel the stars and stripes Page 13