JERUSALEM, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A copper dagger blade and clay vessels, dated to 4,500 years ago, were found in an ancient burial cave in northern Israel, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) reported on Wednesday.
The ancient items were discovered in the Arab city of Arraba by a local electrician, who drove a dirt road on his way to work.
The electrician identified something unusual on the side of the mountain, and stopped to check what it was. The rock crumbled, and ancient-looking tools were exposed.
Concerning that the tools could be damaged when exposed in the area, he collected them carefully and contacted the IAA.
According to the IAA, the tools were exposed as a result of an old damage made by mechanical tool, to an ancient burial cave, which revealed a quite unknown period in this region's study.
These are storage jars and pouring vessels, from the Intermediate Bronze Age.
The outline of the jars is round, typical for the northern-pottery vessels of that times.
The jars were inserted into the burial cave along with the dead people buried there, in order to accompany and serve the dead in the afterlife, which was typical of the burial procedure during this period.
The dagger blade, which was found next to the vessels, was previously attached to a wooden handle with rivets.
Such daggers were the typical weapon of the period and it was generally typical to bury the weapons in its owner's grave.
