The settlement of the Philistines on the southern coastal plain of Canaan was accompanied by the partial destruction of the Canaanite cities, but also brought with it urban planning in the Aegean style, which included walls, palaces and division of cities into quarters. The cities were governed by rulers from the military elite who were bound to each other by a military and civilian alliance. Although the Philistines controlled the Canaanite cities, the original inhabitants remained in them and integrated with the invaders. The influence of Canaanite culture on the original Philistine culture can be seen on the stage behind you, which depicts the changes that occurred in Philistine pottery over the years.