Archeologists uncovered dozens of ancient tombs at the Highway 6 construction site near Kiryat Gat, the Itim news agency reported Tuesday. The find yielded a trove of artifacts, including mint-condition pottery, statues, jewelry and the remains of sacrifices offered to the religious deities the inhabitants believed in.

Peter Fabian, who is conducting the dig at the behest of the company building the highway, said they discovered cave drawings depicting deer that used to roam free in the Negev desert region.

He added that the find was the biggest of its kind and was invaluable for historians to deepen their understanding of the period.