Contact Admin. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age. In the course of its history, it has been ruled by the Ancient Egyptians , the Canaanites , the Philistines , the Assyrians , the Babylonians , the Greeks , the Phoenicians , the Hasmoneans , the Romans , the Persians , the Arabs and the Crusaders , until it was destroyed by the Mamluks in Al-Majdal on the eve of the Arab—Israeli War had 10, Arab inhabitants and in October , the city accommodated thousands more refugees from nearby villages.
Most of the remaining Arabs were deported by In , the nearby neighborhood of Afridar was incorporated and the name "Ashkelon" was readopted to the town. By , Ashkelon was ranked 18th among Israeli urban centers with a population of 24, Ashkelon was the oldest and largest seaport in Canaan , part of the pentapolis a grouping of five cities of the Philistines , north of Gaza and south of Jaffa.
The Neolithic site of Ashkelon is located on the Mediterranean coast , 1. It is dated by Radiocarbon dating to c. It was discovered and excavated in by French archaeologist Jean Perrot. A final excavation report was published in In the site over a hundred fireplaces and hearths were found and numerous pits, but no solid architecture, except for one wall.
Various phases of occupation were found, one atop the other, with sterile layers of sea sand between them. This indicates that the site was occupied on a seasonal basis. The main finds were enormous quantities of c. Usually at Neolithic sites flints far outnumber animal bones. The bones belong to domesticated and non-domesticated animals. When all aspects of this site are taken into account, it appears to have been used by pastoral nomads for meat processing. The nearby sea could supply salt necessary for the conservation of meat.
The city was originally built on a sandstone outcropping and has a good underground water supply. It was relatively large as an ancient city with as many as 15, people living inside the walls. Its commanding ramparts , measuring 1. The thickness of the walls was so great that the mudbrick city gate had a stone-lined, 8 feet 2. On the sea it was defended by a high natural bluff. A roadway more than 20 feet 6. Images of calves and bulls were associated with the worship of the Canaanite gods El and Baal.
