Ancient goddess sculpture found by farmer in Gaza Strip

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Ruling Hamas authorities say a Palestinian farmer has found a rare 4,500-year-old stone sculpture while working his land in the southern Gaza Strip. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Monday that the 22-centimeter-tall limestone head is believed to represent the Canaanite goddess Anat. It’s estimated to be dated to around 2,500 B.C. Gaza, a narrow enclave on the Mediterranean, boasts a trove of antiquities and archaeological sites as it was a major land route connecting ancient civilizations in Egypt, the Levant and Mesopotamia. But discovered antiquities frequently disappear and development projects are given priority over the preservation of archaeological sites.