Readers of my Explorator newsletter will be familiar with the ongoing dispute in Ashkelon, where hospital expansion has uncovered a number of burials. The Israel Antiquities Authority has said for quite a while that it was a ‘pagan’ cemetery, and a recently-discovered altar seems to back up the claim. Here’s the IAA link (tip o’ the pileus to Joseph Lauer):
The development work for the construction of a fortified emergency room at Barzilai Hospital, which is being conducted by a contractor carefully supervised by the Israel Antiquities Authority, has unearthed a new and impressive find: a magnificent pagan altar dating to the Roman period (first-second centuries CE) made of granite and adorned with bulls’ heads and a laurel wreaths. The altar stood in the middle of the ancient burial field.
According to Dr. Yigal Israel, Ashkelon District Archaeologist of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “The discovery further corroborates the assertion that we are dealing with a pagan cemetery. It is an impressive find that has survived 2,000 years. The altar is c. 60 centimeters tall and it is decorated with bulls’ heads, from which dangle laurels wreaths. There is a strap in the middle of each floral wreath and bull’s head. The laurel wreaths are decorated with grape clusters and leaves. This kind of altar is known as an “incense altar”. Such altars usually stood in Roman temples and visitors to the temple used to burn incense in them, particularly myrrh and frankincense, while praying to their idols. We can still see the burnt marks on the altar that remain from the fire. The altar was probably donated by one of the families who brought it to the cemetery from the city of Ashkelon”.
Dr. Israel adds that during the archaeological supervision of the development work burial structures were discovered, which served as family tombs, and cist tombs that were used for interring individuals. In addition a large limestone sarcophagus (stone coffin) with a decorated lid was also found. The sarcophagus stands 80 centimeters high is 60 centimeters wide and is 2 meters long. Part of the stone in the sarcophagus was left rather high in the spot where the head of the deceased was placed and resembles a kind of pillow.
via Pagan Altar was Exposed while the IAA was Overseeing Development Work at the Barzilai Hospital. [article will move in the near future]
Here’s an image of the altar itself (provided by the IAA:
Interesting that it’s round … I’ve never seen a round Roman altar before; Ferrell’s Travel Blog provides some comparanda:
Useful comments on the dispute at Jim West’s blog:
rogueclassicism 
I feel like I’ve seen a round altar in the Palatine Museum, which was inscribed “Minervae”…
Stamatia, I believe you are right. I definitely recall a short round pillar with “Minervae” inscribed on the pillar itself, the ‘Minervae’ inscription really stands-out.
It is in the Palatine Museum but I don’t remember if there is or isn’t an altar on top of it or if it was ID’ed as an altar?
In the Roman Forum you have the ’round altar’ in the semicircular niche of the ‘Temple of Divus Julius’.
The ‘Temple of Vesta’ had a round altar where the sacred fire was kept burning, this is shown on a coin of Julia Domna 207-9AD.
And the ‘Emperor Sacrificing’ panel on the ‘Decennalia Base’ (303AD) shows a round altar very similar to the one on the Julia Domna coin.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Base_dei_decennalia_04.JPG OR
http://tinyurl.com/25cdcuu Not a great photo but if anyone has the ‘Oxford Archaeological Guide-Rome’ Fig. 26 is a close-up.
Regards, Walter
Well, the Roman Imperial Altar in Ferrell Jenkins’s photo seems quite round to me…
I was trying to google up for more/better pics/video of the 57 ancient Egyptian tombs just found and was directed to Rogueclassicism .
Still no other pics or comments of the 57… Unless I missed reading something.
About Ashkelon – Aren is perfectly correct in his report, the ancient cemetery has been in the centre of the dispute he described for many months, and it seems common sense has won in this case – but the antiquities will be very well cared for, as Israeli archaeology is very respectful of ancient findings which are, in more than one way, our country’s “raison d’être”…
Loved the site !
I had the initial 57 report in my Explorator newsletter Sunday a.m.; my mailbox is filling with refs to it, so check explorator next week for all the coverage (of course, it will be ‘old news’ by then).