Four-Horned Incense Altar

Israel: Megiddo, Stratum VA-IVB; Iron Age IIA, 10th century B.C. Limestone. Excavated by the Oriental Institute, 1926. "Horned altars are described in the Bible and have been discovered at many Iron Age Israelite sites. This example is probably too small to have been used for animal sacrifice, but may have served for the other three types of offerings known to have been made: wine, incense, and grain meal mixed with oil. The Megiddo stratum in which this altar was found was characterized by large public structures and is generally thought to have been built by King Solomon. It included a four-entryway gate and a well-built double or "casemate" wall."