The Bible reports that early on, the Philistines had somewhat of a monopoly on iron production technology, and indeed, the distribution of 12th-century iron objects in the Levant is concentrated in Philistine regions. "Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears. But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle" - 1 Samuel 13:19-23