Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have uncovered a 5,000-year-old settlement during excavations for the development of an industrial zone near Beit Shemesh, Israel.

According to a press statement issued by the IAA, archaeologists found traces of a large public building that likely served a ritual function in a wider community settlement.

Within the structure’s interior rooms, excavations revealed 40 intact vessels in situ, that date from the Early Bronze Age IB (late 4th millennium BC).

The Early Bronze Age marked a period of profound transformation in ancient Israel, with substantial population growth and the emergence of complex social hierarchies and political systems.

By this era’s peak, urbanisation had accelerated, evidenced by fortified cities, public buildings, organised industries, and active trade with regions such as Egypt, Syria, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia.