Bone and Ebony Figurines from Christian Burials in the Roman–Byzantine Necropolis of Tel Malḥata

A large cemetery dating to the Roman-Byzantine period was exposed south of Tel Malata, in the northeastern Negev Desert.Most of the burials were cist graves, comprising an individual buried according to Christian burial traditions.It is noteworthy that woman and children constitute the majority of the burials with grave goods.Three excavated cist tombs, of two women and a child, are discussed below in light of their rare burial goods, which included bone and ebony figurines, the latter possibly pointing to an "Ethiopian" origin of the interred.