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4,000-Year-Old Wicks Reveal Ancient Recycling Practices

Archaeologists uncovered calcified lamp wicks in over 20% of 1,200 tombs at a Bronze Age cemetery near Yehud, possibly the oldest ever found, dating back 4,500 years.

  • Archaeologists unearthed 4,000-year-old oil-lamp wicks during a salvage excavation near Yehud in central Israel.
  • The discovery occurred amid city expansion and challenged expectations since organic wicks rarely survive the moist Mediterranean climate.
  • The wicks, preserved as calcified remains inside clay lamps from the Intermediate Bronze Age, were likely linen reused at the end of its textile life.
  • Excavation directors stated that about 20 percent of over 1,200 graves had lamps used for illumination and ceremonies, while the IAA published detailed findings in the journal Atiqot.
  • The rare find suggests early recycling practices and sheds light on ancient burial rituals and the technological development of oil lamps in the region.
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Israel discovers 4,000-year-old oil lamp wicks

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israel365news.com broke the news in on Sunday, August 31, 2025.
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