Canaanites

Canaanites were a civilised Semitic race, the original inhabitants of Palestine, from which they were never wholly rooted out. They were named so because they lived in Cannan, which is described in the Hebrew Bible as the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. The region where they lived was called the Levant—an ancient region encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, western Jordan, and southwestern Syria—primarily during the Bronze Age (c. 3000 BC–1200 BC). They developed and linved in their towns for defence. They were worshippers of the fertilising powers of nature, and had multiple gods. Their chief god was El, while Baal (or Hadad) ruled over rain and fertility. Other major deities included Asherah, Astarte, and Resheph. Canaanites were largely dependent on agriculture.

Biblical accounts detail the Israelites' entry into Canaan after escaping Egypt, leading to wars and eventual assimilation or displacement of the indigenous population. Modern archaeological and genetic studies show deep cultural and ancestral overlap between early Israelites and the indigenous Canaanites.

Nearby pages
Cannes, Canning Paschim Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Canning Purba Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Cannonchet, Canon