Unearthing Goshen: Tell el-Dab’a, Avaris, and the Search for Israel in Egypt

In the Nile Delta of Egypt lies a site that has captivated archaeologists and biblical scholars alike: Tell el-Dab’a, the ancient city of Avaris. This sprawling metropolis was once the capital of the Hyksos rulers.¹ Understanding Avaris aids our knowledge of the historical context of the Israelites’ sojourn in Egypt as described in Genesis and Exodus.

Tell el-Dab’a, located in the area the Bible calls “Goshen,” thrived from around 1850 to 1550 BC, spanning Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, Second Intermediate Period, and early New Kingdom. Excavations led by Austrian archaeologist Manfred Bietak since 1966 have revealed a city that defies simple categorization.

The city of Avaris

The site, originally known as Rowaty (“the door of the two roads”), later became Avaris under Hyksos rule, and was eventually rebuilt as Pi-Ramesses during the 19th Dynasty (long after the Israelites had left Egypt).^{2 3} This evolution of names reflects the city’s enduring importance throughout Egyptian history.

The city was a blend of Egyptian and Canaanite influences. Grand palaces and temples reveal Egyptian architectural styles, while everyday objects and burial practices often reflect Canaanite traditions. This cultural fusion mirrors the biblical account of Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt and the subsequent migration of his family.

Genesis 47:11 says, “So Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.” The mention of Rameses here is likely an anachronism, referring to the later name of the region, but it clearly places the Israelite settlement in this area of the eastern Nile Delta.

Archaeological clues

Several key discoveries at Tell el-Dab’a hint at a significant Semitic population:

• Scarabs and seals bearing Semitic names, suggesting the presence of high-ranking officials of Canaanite origin.⁴
• Canaanite-style houses, including the distinctive four-room house design. This architectural style, common in ancient Israel but rare in Egypt, is particularly significant. Its presence at Tell el-Dab’a strongly suggests a population maintaining Canaanite building traditions.⁵
• Burials sometimes included “horses and weapons, along with pottery, jewelry and other articles of daily living.” Archaeologists discovered several well-preserved Middle Bronze Period tombs of this type near Jericho.⁶  

Monumental statue

One of the most intriguing finds at Tell el-Dab’a is the remains of a monumental statue of an Asiatic ruler, discovered in a cemetery at the site. The statue, which was almost twice life-size, depicts a seated figure with a mushroom-shaped hairstyle typical of non-Egyptian rulers from the area of Canaan. While the exact dating of this statue and the tomb in which it was found remains disputed among scholars, its presence has sparked considerable interest.

Some researchers have proposed the tantalizing possibility that this statue could represent biblical Joseph! The idea stems from several factors:

• The statue’s Asiatic features align with Joseph’s Hebrew origins.
• Its monumental size suggests a figure of great importance.
• The location in Avaris, the area associated with the biblical land of Goshen, fits the narrative of Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt.
• Artists adorned the statue with vibrant hues on its clothing.⁸
• The statue had been intentionally vandalized in ancient times.
• The tomb lacked a complete skeleton.

Statue destroyed

It is also interesting that someone destroyed the statue. Bietak said the “statue was smashed intentionally, suggesting that there was political turmoil in the region.”⁹ If this statue did depict Joseph, it’s not hard to imagine the Egyptians defacing it after the Ten Plagues and the Exodus – certainly a time of political turmoil. 

No intact skeleton

The fact that there were no intact human remains is significant and aligns with the biblical record:

And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” (Gen. 50:25 BEREAN)

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place.” (Ex. 13:19 BEREAN)

Bietak noted that the tomb “had been almost completely plundered by [means of] the robbers’ tunnels; with the exception of a limestone sarcophagus fragment with inscriptions and two gold plates as well as bone fragments, nothing was found.”¹¹ While there were bone fragments, complete skeletal remains were absent. Tomb robbers were keen to steal valuables, but they typically didn’t carry off human remains. If this was Joseph’s tomb, the absence of a skeleton fits perfectly with the biblical record.

Coat of many colors?

The striped red, black, and white coloring of the statue’s garments is reminiscent of Joseph’s coat of many colors (Gen 37:3). Nevertheless, Joseph was surely not the only Semite to wear such a garment. While the statue undoubtedly represents a high-ranking Semitic individual who held significant power in Egypt, direct evidence linking it to Joseph is not conclusive. The debate surrounding its identity and significance continues among archaeologists and biblical scholars.

Regardless of its specific identity, this statue provides compelling evidence of Semitic individuals achieving prominent positions in Egyptian society during this period, a scenario that aligns with the biblical account of Joseph’s story.

The Hyksos connection

The rise of Tell el-Dab’a coincides with the ascent of the Hyksos, a group of Semitic rulers who controlled Lower Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1650-1550 BC). Some chronologies date the Hyksos rise to power earlier, assigning them 200 years of reign beginning around 1750 BC.¹² While the Israelites were not Hyksos themselves, it’s plausible that they enjoyed favorable treatment under Hyksos rule, which could explain Joseph’s rise to power as described in Genesis. Although Jacob and his offspring were distinct from the Hyksos, it’s likely that a native Egyptian would have considered it a distinction without a difference.

However, this period of prosperity was not to last. Around 1570 BC, the Egyptians overthrew the Hyksos, reasserting control over Lower Egypt, including the Goshen region. This political upheaval likely had severe consequences for the Semitic populations in the area, including the Israelites and any remaining Hyksos.

The shift in power aligns with the biblical account in Exodus 1:8-11: 

8 Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. “‘Look,’ he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.’ 11 So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh” (Ex. 1:8-11 BEREAN).

Biblical parallels

Tell el-Dab’a has yielded evidence of advanced technologies that resonate with biblical accounts:

• Sophisticated hydraulic engineering works, including canals and reservoirs, recall Joseph’s management of resources during the seven years of plenty (Gen 41:47-49).¹³

• Horse burials and chariot pieces align with the biblical mention of Egyptian chariots pursuing the Israelites during the Exodus (Exodus 14:7).¹⁴

• Metallurgical workshops suggest a high level of craftsmanship, reminiscent of the skilled artisans described in the construction of the Tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-11).¹⁵

The 15th century BC abandonment

One of the most intriguing aspects of Tell el-Dab’a is its abrupt abandonment in the 15th century BC.¹⁶ Archaeological evidence shows a rapid decline in population and eventual desertion of the site. This abandonment can be explained by the Exodus of the Israelites and a “mixed multitude” that left with them, as described in the Bible.

Exodus 12:37-38 recounts: “The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth with about 600,000 men on foot, besides women and children. And a mixed multitude also went up with them, along with great droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.” Most people overlook the fact that it was not only the Jews who left Egypt during the Exodus.¹⁷

This massive departure would have had a significant impact on the region, explaining the sudden desertion of Tell el-Dab’a. The exodus of skilled laborers, craftsmen, and a substantial portion of the population could have led to the site’s abandonment even by the Egyptians.

A window into a biblical world

Tell el-Dab’a offers a fascinating glimpse into the world described in the early chapters of Exodus. The site provides valuable context for understanding the cultural and political landscape of the time.

The blend of Egyptian and Canaanite influences, the evidence of Semitic populations rising to prominence under Hyksos rule, their subsequent oppression following the Egyptian reassertion of power, and the sudden abandonment in the 15th century BC all resonate with elements of the biblical narrative. The presence of four-room houses, a hallmark of Israelite architecture, particularly strengthens the case for a significant Canaanite population maintaining their cultural traditions.

As the city evolved from Rowaty to Avaris and finally to Ramesses, it witnessed the ebb and flow of cultures and empires. The story of Tell el-Dab’a, from its rise under Semitic influence to its sudden abandonment, provides compelling archaeological context for the biblical narrative of the Israelites in Egypt.

1. Rainey, Anson F., and R. Steven Notley. The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s Atlas of the Biblical World. Second Emended & Enhanced Edition. Jerusalem: Carta, 2014. 57, 63.
2. Bietak, Manfred. Avaris: The Capital of the Hyksos; Recent Excavations at Tell El-Dab`a. London: British Museum Press, 1996. 19.
3. Rainey, Anson F., and R. Steven Notley. The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s Atlas of the Biblical World. Second Emended & Enhanced Edition. Jerusalem: Carta, 2014. 91, 119.
4. Candelora, Danielle. “Defining the Hyksos: A Reevaluation of the Title Hk3 H3swt and Its Implications for Hyksos Identity.” Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 53 (2017): 203–221.
5. Petrovich, Douglas. Origin of the Hebrews. Nashville: New Creation, 2021. 132-135.
6. Packer, J. I., Merrill C. Tenney, and William White, eds. Nelson’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995. 80.
7. Bietak, Manfred. Avaris: The Capital of the Hyksos; Recent Excavations at Tell El-Dab’a. London: British Museum Press, 1996.
8. Petrovich, Douglas. Origin of the Hebrews. Nashville: New Creation, 2021. 92.
9. Bietak, Manfred. Avaris: The Capital of the Hyksos; Recent Excavations at Tell El-Dab’a. London: British Museum Press, 1996. 21.
10. Bietak, Manfred. Avaris: The Capital of the Hyksos; Recent Excavations at Tell El-Dab’a. London: British Museum Press, 1996.
11. Bietak, Manfred. “Der Friedhof in Einem Palastgarten Aus Der Zeit Des Späten Mittleren Reiches Und Andere Forschungsergebnisse Aus Dem Östlichen Nildelta (Tell El-Dab’a 1984—1987).” Ägypten Und Levante / Egypt and the Levant 2 (1991): 61.  (English translation via Google).
12. Packer, J. I., Merrill C. Tenney, and William White, eds. Nelson’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995. 80.
13. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/997/ancient-egyptian-agriculture/
14. Collins, Steven, Joseph M. Holden, and Harvest House Publishers, eds. The Harvest Handbook of Bible Lands. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2019. 63.
15. Collins, Steven, Joseph M. Holden, and Harvest House Publishers, eds. The Harvest Handbook of Bible Lands. Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2019. 63.
16. Petrovich, Douglas. “Toward Pinpointing the Timing of the Egyptian Abandonment of Avaris During the Middle of the 18th Dynasty.” Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, June 1, 2013.
17. See also Lev 24:10.