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A stone statue of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war has been found in the Gaza Strip, the BBC reports.

Palestinian archaeologists say that the head of the Canaanite deity, Anat, dates back 4,500 years to the late Bronze Age.

The discovery was made by a farmer digging his land in Khan Younis, in the south of the strip.

On social media, some Gazans are making wry comments suggesting the goddess's association with war seems apt.

In recent years, they have seen a series of devastating flare-ups in the conflict between Israel and militant groups in Gaza, which is governed by Hamas.

However, the discovery of this limestone statue is a reminder of how the strip - part of an important trade route for successive ancient civilisations - was originally a Canaanite settlement.

The 22cm-high (8.7 in) carving clearly shows the face of the goddess wearing a serpent crown.

"We found it by chance. It was muddy and we washed it with water," said farmer Nidal Abu Eid, who came across the head while cultivating his field.

"We realised that it was a precious thing, but we didn't know it was of such great archaeological value," he told the BBC.

"We thank God, and we are proud that it stayed in our land, in Palestine, since the Canaanite times."

The statue of Anat - one of the best-known Canaanite deities - is now on display in Qasr al-Basha, a historic building that serves as one of Gaza's few museums.