4 ms·

Has there been a followup to this? I couldn't find anything past 2014.

• dogma1138 9y ago
  No, this story was also never confirmed, there are no cliffs on the shores of Gaza, the southern coastline of Israel and the Gaza strip is flat sand dunes there isn't enough elevation to see deep into the water. It's also unlikely that a bronze statue would survive submerged for 2000+ years (the Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Greeks circa 400 BCE, but the Philistines were there earlier and as the Philistines were Hellenic people this would match it as well), or at least be in such good shape. Some other reports suggested that it was either a hoax, or more likely that the statue was smuggled from Syria rather than discovered off the coast of Gaza. If it was indeed discovered in Gaza then it's likely been smuggled out and sold on the black market.
  • ramzyo 9y ago
    The article addresses this as well. "Experts, including Alotol, have questioned Jawdat's story, arguing that the colour and apparent excellent condition of the statue contradict the story that it was found in the sea. They speculate it was discovered inland, under the ground, and that the real story has been stifled either to avoid arguments of ownership or to avoid revealing that it was found while digging tunnels to nearby Egypt."
  • jonny_eh 9y ago
    It's also possible to be a forgery. Forgeries run rampant in the world of antiquities.