Ancient DNA from more Bronze Age and early Iron Age sites in the eastern Mediterranean — particularly from sites directly associated with the Sea Peoples in Cyprus, Anatolia, and the Aegean — would provide crucial comparison points for the Ashkelon evidence.

Understanding where the Philistines’ Aegean ancestors specifically came from — which part of the Aegean, which specific cultural zone — requires more genetic data from the potential source regions.

Paleoclimatic data is becoming increasingly precise, and the next decade will likely see higher-resolution reconstructions of the climate conditions in the eastern Mediterranean during the collapse period.

Better understanding of the specific timing, severity, and geographic distribution of the drought conditions will help clarify their role relative to other factors.

Archaeological work at understudied sites continues to refine our understanding of what happened during the collapse and what came after.