Although the Torah's description of Eretz Israel as the "Land of Milk and Honey" was a reference to the honey-like date fruit rather than bee honey, it may well be that honey-making from beehives was once a local industry.

Recent archeological excavations at Tel Rechov in the Bet She'an Valley uncovered the oldest known beehive colony in the Middle East. According to Carbon-14 calculations these beehives date back close to 3,000 years.

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