Domesticated Camels Came to Israel in 930 B.C., Centuries Later Than Bible Says

Newly published research by two archaeologists at Tel Aviv University in Israel shows that camels weren't domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean until the 10th century B.C.—several centuries after the time they appear in the Bible.

While there are conflicting theories about when the Bible was composed, the recent research suggests it was written much later than the events it describes. This supports earlier studies that have challenged the Bible's veracity as a historic document.

The biblical angle wasn't the focus of the recent research, though, just an after-the-fact observation.

The study, published late last year in Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University, concerned the introduction of domesticated camels at copper smelting sites in Israel's Aravah Valley.

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Camel escapes, attacks man in Southern California

February 14, 2014 6:09 PM

PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) — A camel escaped from an enclosure in a Southern California high desert community Friday, stomped a 72-year-old man who tried to capture it, and chased other people before it calmed down and was corralled.

The camel escaped in the unincorporated community of Acton and was reported chasing cars shortly after 8:30 a.m., Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said.

"My dad ... tried to catch it and it must have cornered him or something, and it took off after him, bit him on the head and knocked him down and stomped on him," Skylar Dossenbach told KCBS-TV. "He crawled under something and the camel tried to pull him out from under it."

Her father was hospitalized and needed stitches for a gash to his head, she said. His name wasn't immediately released.

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Decoding the Genome of the Camel

May 28, 2013 — By sequencing the genome of a Bactrian camel, researchers at the Vetmeduni Vienna have made a significant contribution to population genetic research on camels. The study has laid the foundation for future scientific work on these enigmatic desert animals. A blood sample from a single Bactrian camel with the evocative name of "Mozart" provided the genetic raw material for the work, which was undertaken by Pamela Burger at the Institute of Population Genetics.

Camels are divided into two species, the one-humped dromedary and the two-humped Bactrian camel. Whether equipped with one or two humps, camels are precious in desert regions throughout the world. Their ability to carry heavy loads over long distances makes them ideally suited for transportation. In addition, camels are able to survive for weeks in hostile environments without food and water. Despite the extremely arid conditions, camels still provide enough milk for human consumption and also have an important role as a source of meat. Camels are specialists when it comes to adapting to the environment and have been characterized as sustainable food producers.

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Calif. man has roaming camel on his land

PITTSBURG, CA (CBS/KPIX) -- Scotland has the Loch Ness Monster, and the Bay Area has its own creature that people are flocking to see.

It has been spotted roaming a hill near highway four in Pittsburg. The exotic animal comes out when the sun goes down.

People say it appears every night on this Pittsburg hillside. They've never seen anything like it. One person say, "He looked at me and kind of grazing and moving about, so he's just surprising."

It's got everybody in this apartment complex talking. One resident says, "Up front here, meanders down the hillside and takes about a half hour to get to the fence close to the street here and the neighbors check the amazing spectacle."

That spectacle is a camel. And the neighbors have plenty of pictures of this odd looking creature in the suburbs off highway four. Neighbor Karl Dyson says, "Nice camel. It came close enough to the fence to touch him."

One apartment worker said the camel belongs to the developer who owns the land. CBS 5 has learned the camel does live in his own wooden hut and his name is Cous Cous.

Animal welfare officers say it's unusual, but not illegal to own a camel here in Coco County as long as the owner has the permission of state fish and game and has an exotic animal license.

In the spirit of full disclosure, we never saw the camel this night. We'll just have to take everyone's word for it.

video:  http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/223406/70/Calif-man-has-roaming-camel-on-his-land-