Investigators determined the suspect had carried out illegal excavations in Area C of Judea and Samaria, where Israel has administrative and security jurisdiction.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Thousands of archaeological items, including coins and artifacts from the Persian (539–332 BCE), Hellenistic (332–140 BCE) and Hasmonean (140–37 BCE) periods in the Land of Israel, were recovered from a suspect accused of looting antiquities in Judea and Samaria, Israeli authorities said on Monday.

According to the Civil Administration’s Archaeology Unit, the Israeli Police, and the Israel Defense Forces, the items were seized after security forces detained the suspect, who was found carrying metal detectors, excavation tools, and archaeological finds.

He was handed over to the Archaeology Unit’s Intelligence and Investigations Department for questioning.

The Civil Administration is the military body responsible for overseeing many governmental functions in Judea and Samaria.

Investigators determined the suspect had carried out illegal excavations in Area C of Judea and Samaria, where Israel has administrative and security jurisdiction.

A raid on the suspect’s home uncovered additional artifacts, including ancient coins.

Under Israeli law, trading in antiquities without a permit, as well as transporting antiquities from Judea and Samaria into Green Line Israel without authorization, are criminal offenses.

Searching for antiquities without a license using a metal detector is punishable in Israel by up to three years in prison.

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The organizers said they envision a national database that would contain what they described as the “genetic sequencing” of the kilns.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

A new Israeli research initiative is using cutting-edge scientific methods to solve one of archaeology’s oldest mysteries: where ancient pottery was made.

The project, launched by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), aims to trace the origin of thousands of ceramic vessels even when the kilns where they were fired have long vanished.

According to a recent IAA announcement, thousands of pottery vessels uncovered at excavation sites across Israel will now be examined with advanced scientific methods and catalogued as part of a joint project led by Dr. Anat Cohen Weinberger of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Prof. Alexander Fantalkin of Tel Aviv University.

The work is designed to create a distinctive “fingerprint” for each ancient production kiln, based on the mineral and chemical composition of pottery known to have been made there.

The organizers said they envision a national database that would contain what they described as the “genetic sequencing” of the kilns, allowing researchers to propose a pottery vessel’s origin even when the kiln itself is absent at the excavation site.

Cohen Weinberger said in the statement that this absence is common.

“In most excavations we find large quantities of pottery, but not the kiln where it was produced,” she said.

Cohen Weinberger added that, without the kiln, archaeologists currently struggle to determine whether vessels were made locally or brought from elsewhere, calling that gap “one of the central challenges” in pottery research.

The IAA stressed that identifying a vessel’s origin is not merely technical. It describes provenance as a key to reconstructing cultural and economic links, trade networks, population movement, technological influence, and broader historical processes.

According to Cohen Weinberger, the first stage of the project focuses on pottery that can be tied to known kilns and analyzes it through two complementary scientific methods.

One method is petrography, in which an ultra-thin ceramic slice of the vessel — about 30 microns thick — is examined under a polarizing microscope to identify minerals and rock fragments.

The method can help link raw materials to the geological environment they came from and illuminate what it calls the potter’s “recipe,” the Antiquities Authority said.

The second method is chemical analysis using neutron activation analysis, or NAA. The IAA described this as testing a tiny ceramic sample in a nuclear reactor to measure elemental composition, including rare trace elements.

The sample’s origin can then be proposed by comparing the results to pottery samples whose production sites are already known.

According to the IAA, the combined approach produces a unique profile for each kiln and can later be used as a reference point for pottery found at sites “without a kiln.”

In those cases, the announcement says, researchers would compare an unknown vessel’s profile to the database and, if a match is found, propose where it was made, even if it was discovered far from the production site.

Cohen Weinberger said in the announcement that many pottery vessels tested in past studies remained without a known production origin because researchers lacked comparative data, and that the emerging kiln profiles could help address that problem.

According to the announcement, the research is being developed as a wide-scale national project.

As part of it, the IAA said it is building a digital “kiln atlas” to consolidate the accumulated knowledge and make it available to researchers through a platform being developed by the authority’s digital technologies division.

The statement says the atlas is intended to serve as a long-term research infrastructure for studying production, trade, and regional connections in the past.

Dr. Mechael Osband, head of the Petrography Laboratory at the Zinman Institute, University of Haifa, told The Press Service of Israel that the project was promising. He is not associated with the IAA’s initiative.

“This is a unique project with no parallel in other regions. It will provide an infrastructure for many studies dealing with different periods and will make a significant contribution to understanding economic and social connections in antiquity,” he told TPS-IL.

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Rare hoard of coins used by Jewish rebels during the last major uprising against Roman rule discovered in northern Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

Coins dating back over 1,600 years to the last major Jewish revolt in the Land of Israel against Roman rule was discovered recently in northern Israel.

A total of 22 copper coins dating back to the 4th century CE were discovered in a small crevice deep in an underground tunnel complex lying beneath the ruins of the Lower Galilee ancient settlement of Hukok, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Thursday.

The coin stash was discovered during a joint archaeological dig conducted by the IAA and the Zefat Academic College.

“It seems that the people stashing this hoard carefully planned its hiding place, hoping to return to it when the threatening troubles were over,” say researchers Uri Berger from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Prof. Yinon Shivtiel of Zefat Academic College.

“The coins were discovered in a pit, deliberately dug at the end of a narrow winding tunnel.”

The Hukok complex, an underground network of tunnels and rooms used by Jewish rebels to hide from the Roman army, was likely created during the Great Revolt (66–70 CE) and then expanded and improved upon in preparation for the Bar-Kochba Revolt (132–136 CE).

Archaeologists initially assumed the coins date back to the time of either of these early rebellions.

However, the visages of Emperors Constantius II and Constans I appeared on the coins. Their reigns were during the time of a later revolt – the Gallus Revolt (351-352 CE), the lesser-known and last Jewish revolt under Roman rule.

“This shows that hundreds of years after these tunnels were dug out, they were reused,” the researchers said. “The hoard provides – in all probability, unique evidence, that this hiding complex was used in one way or another during another crisis – during the Gallus Revolt – a rebellion for which we have only scant historical evidence of its existence.”

The Hukok hiding complex is one of the largest and most intricate of its kind in the entire Galilee. It comprises a series of underground spaces connected by narrow passages and winding tunnels.

“The coin hoard from the days of the Gallus Revolt, hidden deep in the Hukok hiding complex, joins other finds on the site that teach about the days of hardship and periods of crisis that the Jews of Hukok and the Galilee went through during the long Roman period in the Land of Israel,” Berger and Prof. Shivtiel said.

“Happily, we know that shortly after this final revolt – apparently at the end of this tragic period of hardship, a magnificent synagogue with magnificent mosaics was built on the top of the hill, and the settlement here began an era of long-lasting prosperity.”

Israeli Minister of Heritage, Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu called the discovery a “living testimony to the determination of the Jews of the Galilee and their ongoing struggle to maintain their identity and traditional Jewish lifestyle even in difficult times under the Roman rule.”

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Israel has launched one of the world’s largest digital archaeological archives—a groundbreaking database with millions of records, images, and 3D models—which gives researchers and the public instant access to Israel’s ancient history at the click of a button.

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An exclusive glimpse into the Israel Antiquities Authority’s vaults showcases rare coins, ancient scrolls, and biblical artifacts that shed light on thousands of years of historical and cultural legacy.

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1,900-year-old burial discs, shaped like lions’ heads, were discovered in an ancient grave in central Israel, shedding light on burial culture and belief in afterlife in Roman-era Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

Ancient bronze discs dating back to the Roman era were unearthed in central Israel, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed Thursday, hinting at the burial practices of the period and religious beliefs regarding the afterlife.

Four rare bronze discs, designed in the form of lion heads and unearthed in central Israel, date back to about 1,900 years ago, coinciding with the Roman era – the 1st-2nd centuries CE.

The initial discovery, made seven years ago, has been revealed for the first time in the official Israel Antiquities Authority journal, ‘Atiqot, No. 117.

These ornamental discs were probably intended to enhance carrying handles for a coffin, and, according to the IAA’s research, reflect religious beliefs from the period regarding the afterlife.

Found in a 2018 salvage excavation at the Eyal interchange in the Sharon region, conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Khirbat Ibreika – they were lying in an orderly pile inside a grave, seemingly where once a wooden coffin stood – which was not preserved.

“This is a unique and rare set of finds: the carrying handle ring, which was attached — in most of the known examples from the Roman world, through the lion’s mouth — was joined in this case precisely to the disc’s vertex, at the top of the lion’s head,” say excavation managers Dr. Elie Haddad and Elisheva Zwiebel.

“It seems this enabled freer and wider movement of the handles that served to lift the coffin and integrate it into a burial procession, while passing bars through the rings to better handle its transport.”

The unearthed lion heads are not identical to each other. Each face has a different expression, and each bears a different design of mane, eyes and nose.

“Similar discs were discovered in several other places in Israel, such as in Netanya and Tel Dor – most of them found in a distinct burial context,” say the researchers.

This discovery raises questions about the deceased’s identity and his ethnic and religious affiliation.

“Tracing the lion as symbol in the ancient world reveals that in many cultures it represented strength, protection and nobility,“ say Dr. Haddad and Zwiebel. “At this stage we do not have enough evidence to associate the lions to a particular religion.

However – the reasonable assumption is that here we have a pagan burial. In any case, these fancy, elaborate discs clearly reflect this individual’s high status.”

“For thousands of years lions have symbolized bravery and courage,” said Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“It is not by chance that the State of Israel‘s current campaign to neutralize the nuclear threat in Iran is called ‘A nation will arise like a lion’ – a phrase taken from the Bible (Numbers 23:24).”

Minister Amichai Eliyahu said that the “discovery of the lion plaques offers us a compelling historical lesson. Although these are pagan artifacts, they reflect a recurring phenomenon throughout history—foreign cultures adopting ancient Jewish symbols.”

“In the ancient world, the lion was not merely a decorative motif. It was, first and foremost, the emblem of the Tribe of Judah—‘Judah is a lion’s whelp.’
Pagan cultures that once inhabited this land recognized the power of Jewish symbolism and were influenced by it, even if they did not always acknowledge it.”

“This is a phenomenon we observe throughout history: the world is shaped by Jewish values, symbols, and heritage—sometimes even unknowingly. Western civilization as a whole is founded upon values rooted in the Bible and Jewish tradition.”

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In January, Handala claimed responsibility for breaching the emergency alert systems in 20 Israeli kindergartens, triggering fake rocket sirens and broadcasting Arabic messages and pro-terror songs.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The X account of the Israel Antiquities Authority was hacked early Sunday by the Iranian cyber group Handala, which tweeted a threatening message and an image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alongside an Iranian missile.

“Soon, all Israeli commanders will face the consequences of their war crimes. Nothing will stop the day when a harsh revenge is exacted on those who have committed such heinous acts,” the message warned.

The tweet which was posted at 1:00 AM, was eventually taken down.

The Israel Antiquities Authority is a government agency responsible for preserving, excavating, and managing Israel’s archaeological sites and antiquities. Its X account has 2,600 followers.

In January, Handala claimed responsibility for breaching the emergency alert systems in 20 Israeli kindergartens, triggering fake rocket sirens and broadcasting Arabic messages and pro-terror songs.

On Tuesday, a hacker group possibly linked to Israel claimed responsibility Tuesday for a cyberattack on Bank Sepah, one of Iran’s most strategically important financial institutions.

The group, called Black Sparrow, said it had “destroyed all data” and targeted the bank for its role in financing Iran’s military and nuclear programs.

Bank Sepah, which operates 1,800 branches across Iran and has a presence in Europe, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and helping Iran circumvent international financial sanctions.

Customers reported widespread outages, with some unable to access their accounts. Cards from other military-linked banks, including Kosar and Ansar, also stopped working. Iranian authorities have yet to issue an official response.

Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached “a point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

According to Israeli defense officials, Iran has developed the capacity to rapidly enrich uranium and assemble nuclear bombs, with sufficient fissile material for up to 15 weapons.

Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device.

The strikes marked a dramatic escalation in what officials describe as a broader Iranian strategy combining nuclear development, missile proliferation, and proxy warfare aimed at Israel’s destruction.

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3-year-old girl hiking with her family near Beit Shemesh in central Israel finds scarab amulet dating back 3,800 years.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli preschooler stumbled on an ancient amulet during a family trip in central Israel recently, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Tuesday morning.

Early last month, during a family trip to Tel Azeka near Beit Shemesh in central Israel, three-and-a-half-year-old Ziv Nitzan from Moshav Ramot Meir found an ancient scarab amulet, about 3,800 years old.

“We were walking along the path, and then Ziv bent down – and out of all the stones around her, she picked up this particular stone,” recounts Omer Nitzan, Ziv’s sister.

“When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it, we saw something was different about it. I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone, and we realized we had discovered an archaeological find! We immediately reported this to the Israel Antiquities Authority.”

Dr. Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in ancient amulets and seals, determined that the seal found by Ziv is a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age – dating to about 3,800 years ago.

“Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets,” Ben-Tor said. “They were found in graves, in public buildings and in private homes. Sometimes they bear symbols and messages that reflect religious beliefs or status.”

Scarab seals are tiny, ornate objects, originating in ancient Egypt and designed in the shape of a dung beetle.

This beetle, considered sacred in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, was a symbol of new life, because of the dung ball it created and then laid its eggs into it, from which new life would hatch. Its name in Egyptian derives from the verb “to come into being”, or “to be created”.

This is because the Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator.

The scarab Ziv found was discovered at the foot of Tel Azeka – an important archaeological tel near Beit Shemesh.

In this mound, evidence was discovered of many changing cultures over the course of history. Amongst other things, excavations by Tel Aviv University have revealed findings from the days of the Judahite Kingdom, including city walls, agricultural installations, and more.

Tel Azekah was also known as a key feature in the biblical battle scene between David and Goliath as described in the Book of Samuel (Samuel I 17:1).

“We have been excavating here for almost 15 years, and the excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages, here in Tel Azekah, thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands,” says Prof. Oded Lipschits, director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological dig, who even came to meet Ziv and her sisters at the tel.

“The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here, which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period.”

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Researchers say the ancient clay jug unearthed in the Yatir Forest, near a Byzantine-era synagogue, testifies to the importance of camels to the area under Abbasid rule.

By World Israel News Staff

A rare and impressive red-painted clay jug featuring camel decorations that was used for the storage of liquids was uncovered in excavations at Horvat Anim in the Yatir Forest on the northern edge of the Negev Desert.

During renewed archaeological excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority, archaeologists discovered the approximately 1,200-year-old jug in a cave that had been converted into a dwelling.

Originally, the cave served as an impressive underground olive press for oil production. The excavations were part of a project, initiated by the Jewish National Fund, to develop the site for visitors.

The olive press, along with an ancient synagogue from the Byzantine period previously discovered at the site, has undergone extensive conservation work by experts from the Conservation Department of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The fact that the artists chose to depict two camels on the jug underscores their significance during the Abbasid period—the 9th-10th centuries CE. Camels were a key means of land transport for moving goods and were therefore crucial to the economy,” Oren Shmueli, Dr. Davida Eisenberg-Degen, and Dr. Anat Cohen-Weinberger of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Dr. Katia Cytryn from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said in a joint statement.

The ancient synagogue, which underwent extensive restoration by the conservation experts of the Israel Antiquities Authority, was originally discovered 40 years ago in excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Avshalom Institute. Among the finds were impressive mosaic floor remains, attesting to the site’s rich history and the importance attributed to it by the local community.

“Around 1,500 years ago, the Yatir region was part of an area known as the ‘Daroma,’ where Jewish and Christian communities lived side by side,” explained Dr. Oren Shmueli of the IAA. “There is no doubt that the synagogue discovered in Anim served as the religious center for the Jewish population living there.”

The olive press, built in a cave deep underground and approximately 1,300 years old (from the Early Islamic period), was fully excavated last year.

The excavation revealed two massive stones that were part of the press mechanism. While in use, a wooden screw was installed between them that was used to press olives and extract oil that was collected in a central stone basin within the press.

“The uniqueness of the olive press in Yatir Forest lies in its well-organized and advanced construction for its time. Essentially, it was an ancient factory equipped with a sophisticated and expensive machine for its era,” said Shmueli.

The newly discovered ceramic jug had been used for storing liquids. It was decorated with geometric patterns painted in red and featured illustrations of a caravan of animals, including a camel and possibly even an ostrich—the so-called “winged camel”—or a donkey.

“In the Early Islamic period, camels served as the primary mode of transportation,” Shmueli said. “The fact that camels appear in the jug’s illustrations highlights their significance at the time. Camels transported goods across the empire and were essential to the economy. In the Roman and Byzantine periods, goods were typically transported by sea via ships or by land using carts, but in the Islamic period, the camel took precedence as the dominant land transport—replacing the Roman ship with the ‘ship of the desert.'”

According to Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu, “The Negev holds many layers of history, and each discovery sheds light on another aspect of our past. I welcome the collaboration between the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Jewish National Fund to preserve the Byzantine synagogue and prepare it for public visits, and I invite everyone to explore our heritage throughout the country.”

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2,200-year-old pyramid-shaped structure discovered in Judean Desert, along with papyrus documents, weapons, and fabrics.

By World Israel News Staff

A huge, 2,200-year-old pyramidal structure with a way station beneath it – from the days of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid rulers— is now being unearthed in the Judean Desert, north of Nahal Zohar, by a joint Israel Antiquities Authority/Ministry of Heritage excavation, with volunteers from all over the country.

Among the findings uncovered thus far are papyrus documents written in Greek, bronze coins of the Ptolemies and of Antiochus IV, weapons, wooden tools and fabrics.

“What we have here is one of the richest and most intriguing archaeological excavations ever found in the Judean Desert,” said Matan Toledano, Dr. Eitan Klein and Amir Ganor, excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“This pyramidal structure we discovered is huge and made of hand-hewn stones, each one weighing hundreds of kilograms. Already in the first excavation week, the volunteers found written historical documents, exceptional bronze vessels and remains of ancient furniture, which, thanks to the desert climate, were preserved in amazing condition.

“This is a very promising site – every moment new findings are discovered, and we are filled with anticipation for what else the next three weeks might produce!”

The Nahal Zohar excavation is part of an extensive Judean Desert operation initiated eight years ago, led by the Israel Antiquities Authority, to save archaeological finds endangered by constant illicit excavation and thieving in the region.

This national project was funded jointly by the Ministry of Heritage, the Judea and Samaria Civil Administration Archaeology Department and the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The dedicated Robbery Prevention Unit survey team systematically searched the entire Judean Desert region along 180 kilometers of cliffs and located about 900 caves.

With the help of abseiling equipment, advanced technologies and unique documentation methods, thousands of rare items were uncovered – including scrolls deliberately hidden in these caves, papyrus fragments, wooden utensils, weapons, leather items and coin hoards.

“This excavation changes the site’s historical record,” say Toledano, Klein and Ganor. “Contrary to previous hypotheses that attributed this structure to the First Temple period, it seems that it was built later – during the Hellenistic period – when the land of Israel was under Ptolemaic rule.”

“We still do not know for certain what the building’s purpose was,” he added. “Is this a guard tower, guarding an important commercial route through which the Dead Sea resources of salt and bitumen were transported to the coastal ports? “Or at some point was this enormous structure on the mountaintop marking a grave or serving as a monument in ancient history? It is an enthralling historical mystery – and to our delight, the public coming to volunteer in the excavation are our partners in uncovering the answers.”

Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, called the dig “one of the most important archaeological operations ever undertaken in the State of Israel’s history.”

“The discoveries are exciting and even emotional, and their significance for archaeological and historical research is enormous,” he said.

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This discovery confirms that ascetic practices, which were once thought to be the domain of male monks, were also embraced by women.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The first archaeological evidence in the world for extreme asceticism practiced by nuns was discovered in Jerusalem, providing physical proof of a phenomenon previously known only through historical accounts, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday.

“The woman was discovered in a single grave, dedicated to her as a sign of honor under the church altar – bema. She was bound with 12-14 rings around the arms or hands, four rings around the neck, and at least 10 rings around the legs. Iron plates or discs on her stomach, which were attached to the rings, gave her skeleton an armored form,” Antiquities Authority researchers Zubair ʼAdawi, Kfir Arbiv, and Dr. Yossi Nagar said.

Along with the rings, a small cross was also discovered, indicating her religious devotion. The church and monastery, which operated between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, were home to monks and nuns who practiced extreme forms of asceticism.

According to the excavation directors, “The monks forced destructive acts and self-harm onto the body,” including practices like “wrapping iron chains and various accessories around the body,” which were believed to elevate the soul.

This discovery confirms that ascetic practices, which were once thought to be the domain of male monks, were also embraced by women.

“Ascetic nuns represent a fascinating phenomenon worth dwelling on,” said Dr. Amit Re’em, the Antiquities Authority’s Jerusalem District Archaeologist.

“These literally extraordinary women lived and functioned in a rigid male and patriarchal environment, which inhibited their activities.”

While historical records often focus on male ascetics, women like the nun in Jerusalem also adopted these extreme practices.

Theodoret of Cyrrhus, a 5th-century Christian writer, mentions two women, Marana and Cyra, who bound themselves with chains for decades.

“The nun is an expression of a phenomenon that was widespread among Byzantine monks in antiquity, which was accompanied by excessive extremism,” said ʼAdawi and Arbiv.

The revelation raises new questions about the role of women in the early Christian monastic tradition. Women in Byzantine monastic communities often had to navigate a patriarchal system that excluded them from many religious roles.

Some, like the famous Saint Pelagia, disguised themselves as men to be accepted into male-dominated monastic life. Others, like Saint Marina, lived as men to participate in ascetic practices.

“In order to take part in the idealistic religious ideals of the life of nuns and ascetics of that time, which were mostly a male domain, of necessity they had to disguise themselves as men, and live thusly until their death,” Re’em said.

The iron rings, although they might seem to suggest torture, were not used as a form of punishment. Historical records indicate that such practices were voluntarily undertaken by monks and nuns as a form of self-flagellation.

The belief was that by afflicting the body, the soul could reach higher spiritual levels.

The woman’s self-imposed suffering is an example of this extreme asceticism, which was common among Byzantine monks but has now been shown to also include women, the researchers explained.

Because of the body’s poor condition, the Antiquities Authority collaborated with the Weizmann Institute of Science to determine its gender. The researchers employed proteomic analysis of tooth enamel, which enabled them to identify unique proteins present in the enamel.

These proteins, encoded by X/Y sex chromosomes, confirmed that the skeleton belonged to a woman.

According to ‘Adawi and Arbiv, “The discovery indicates that the extreme asceticism practice, and especially that of wrapping the body with chains, began in northern Syria and Anatolia, expanded to Asia Minor, and reached westward to Europe—to Italy, France, and England. At the same time, the phenomenon expanded southwards and reached Jerusalem and Egypt.”

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Dr. Avner Eckner of the Hebrew University suggested that the two defendants were either engaged in evading Roman taxes or possibly fulfilling a biblical duty to redeem enslaved Jews.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

A newly analyzed papyrus has unveiled a spectacular case of forgery and fiscal fraud in the Roman Empire, providing scholars with rare insight into the legal and administrative workings of the imperial state.

Discovered among the collections of the Israel Antiquities Authority and recently published in the international scholarly journal Tyche, the document details a financial crime involving tax fraud and the illegal sale and manumission of slaves in the Roman provinces of Judea and Arabia.

The case, which took place against the backdrop of political unrest in the region, offers a direct look at Roman jurisdiction, legal practice, and the turbulent relationship between the empire and its subjects.

The Greek-language papyrus, the longest ever found in the Judean Desert with over 133 lines of text, had remained unnoticed for decades after being misclassified as Nabataean.

Its significance came to light in 2014 when Professor Hannah Cotton-Paltiel of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem rediscovered it while organizing documentary papyri at the Israel Antiquities Authority’s scrolls laboratory.

Upon realizing the misclassification, Cotton-Paltiel exclaimed, “It’s Greek to me!” In recognition of her role in its rediscovery, the document has been named P. Cotton in line with papyrological conventions.

Understanding the importance of the document, she assembled a team of scholars from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the University of Vienna, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to decipher the text.

They determined that the papyrus contained notes from prosecutors preparing for a trial before Roman officials on the eve of the Bar Kochba revolt (132–136 CE).

The text includes a draft transcript of the judicial hearing itself, making it a rare and valuable source for understanding Roman legal procedures. The language is strikingly direct, capturing exchanges between prosecutors as they strategized and assessed evidence.

“This papyrus is extraordinary because it provides direct insight into trial preparations in this part of the Roman Empire,” said Dr. Anna Dolganov of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

The case revolves around two defendants, Gadalias and Saulos, who were accused of tax evasion and document forgery.

Gadalias, the son of a notary and possibly a Roman citizen, had a history of criminal activities, including counterfeiting, extortion, and inciting rebellion. Saulos, his accomplice, orchestrated fraudulent transactions with forged documents involving the selling and freeing of slaves.

“Freeing slaves does not appear to be a profitable business model,” said Dr. Avner Eckner of Hebrew University, suggesting that the two were either engaged in evading Roman taxes or possibly fulfilling a Biblical duty to redeem enslaved Jews.

Said Dolganov, “Forgery and tax fraud carried severe penalties under Roman law, including hard labor or even capital punishment.”

The historical context surrounding the case adds another layer of intrigue.

The trial took place between two significant Jewish revolts against Roman rule: the Jewish Diaspora revolt (115–117 CE) and the Bar Kochba revolt (132–136 CE). The text suggests that Gadalias and Saulos may have been involved in rebellious activities during Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the region in 129–130 CE. Their case also names Tineius Rufus, the governor of Judea at the time the Bar Kochba revolt erupted, suggesting that Roman authorities were deeply concerned about the implications of their actions.

“Whether they were indeed involved in rebellion remains an open question, but the insinuation speaks to the charged atmosphere of the time,” explained Dolganov.

Beyond its historical and political implications, the papyrus sheds new light on Roman law in the Greek-speaking eastern empire. It references the governor’s assize tour of his province to hear legal cases and administer justice. The reference to compulsory jury service confirms that legal institutions known from Egypt were also in effect in other provinces.

“This document shows that core Roman institutions documented in Egypt were also implemented throughout the empire,” noted Prof. Fritz Mitthof of the University of Vienna. Additionally, the papyrus highlights the Roman state’s ability to regulate private transactions even in the empire’s distant regions.

The outcome of the trial may have been disrupted by the rebellion, leaving unanswered questions about the fate of the accused, the researchers said. The document was likely hidden in a cave in the Judaean Desert during the Bar Kochba revolt.

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1,500-year-old Byzantine monastery, featuring mosaic with Greek inscription of a verse from the Book of Deuteronomy, discovered near Kiryat Gat.

By World Israel News Staff

An ancient Christian monastery, dating back to the Byzantine period, was discovered in southern Israel recently, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday morning.

During excavations north of Kiryat Gat, conducted ahead of plans to build a new neighborhood, IAA teams discovered a colorful monastery floor, along with a Greek inscription of a biblical verse.

The excavation revealed the remains of at least ten buildings, including the monastery, the winepress and a large warehouse building.

The monastery is dated to the Byzantine period (5th-6th centuries CE), and it is part of an ancient site that already existed during the Roman period and continued for approximately 600 years.

The findings revealed in the monastery and its environs include a great quantity of imported ware, coins, marble elements, metal and glass vessels, all attesting to the rich and significant community living here.

The monastery’s mosaic floor features crosses, lions, doves, an amphora (a ceramic maritime shipping jug), flowers and geometric patterns.

In its center, the ancient inscription in Greek was set — “Blessed are you when you come in, and blessed are you when you go out” (Deuteronomy 28:6). The mosaic’s geometric patterns incorporate very small mosaic stones, which served to highlight the cross-shaped decorations.

In addition to the monastery, a very sophisticated wine press was also uncovered, which was built and repaired several times over the years.

The mosaic flooring of the fermentation rooms and the collecting vat integrated blue and white stones. In the plastered surfaces of the collecting vats you can see remnants of red paint.

The northern collecting vat floor is built of slabs, upon some of which can be still be seen Greek letters, which served as masonry marks for the winepress builders.

All of these features indicate that building and developing this winery involved significant financial resources, time, and a range of professional work and effort.

According to Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis, excavation managers on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “The early settlement is sited on a central road junction connecting the mountain region to the coastal plain.”

“It apparently served the area’s smaller settlements as well as travelers passing by. This is the largest and most significant Roman and Byzantine period site uncovered in this area. The findings indicate a succession of settlement starting from the early Roman period (1st century CE) and through until the end of the Byzantine period (end of the 6th century CE).”

The Roman period settlement remains are more limited, but even they display richness in the variety and quality of the finds.

In the Byzantine period one can see the settlement’s significant expansion, which included the construction of the monastery and the winepress.

In addition, there is much evidence of local pottery production, such as detritus typical of a ceramic factory, garbage pits, misshapen vessels that were flawed in production, and even a number of vessels unique to this site.

“The discovery of the site highlights the historical richness of Kiryat Gat and its surroundings, shedding light on the centrality of the region in antiquity,” said Svetlana Talis, Director of the Southern Region at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The mosaic floor will be relocated to an open area in the city and made accessible to the public.”

“The mosaic discovered in Kiryat Gat is one of the most unique ever found in Israel,” adds Mark Avrahami, Head of Artistic Conservation at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“Transferring mosaics is a complex process that requires great skill and precision. Soon, the ancient mosaic will be moved to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s mosaic workshop for preservation before being displayed in the city.”

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The earliest known Chinese inscription in Israel, dating back 500 years, uncovered in Jerusalem.

By World Israel News Staff

The earliest archaeological evidence of the relationship between the Land of Israel and China was uncovered in Jerusalem on Mount Zion in an archaeological dig jointly conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Protestant Institute of Archaeology.

A rare 16th century CE Chinese inscription was discovered on a porcelain bowl fragment, reading: “Forever we will guard the eternal spring.”

For the past three years, a joint excavation project between the Israel Antiquities Authority and the German Protestant Institute of Archeology (GPIA) has been underway at Mount Zion.

Most of the findings uncovered in the excavation, led by Prof. Dieter Vieweger, date from the Byzantine period and earlier to the Second Temple period – well over 1,500 years ago.

Against this background, the excavators were amazed to discover this inscription on the site, which belongs to a later period and has an unexpected origin.

This past summer, during routine procedures for the upcoming excavation season, Michael Chernin, an archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority, suddenly spotted a colorful object sticking out of the dirt that had been cleared away while preparing the site.

When Michael pulled out the object and washed it, he recognized that there was an inscription on its bottom.

Dr. Anna de Vincenz, pottery specialist, identified the inscription to be Chinese. At this point— the vessel was examined by the Hebrew University in Jerusalem’s researcher Jingchao Chen, who deciphered the inscription as reading, “We will forever guard the eternal spring.”

The bowl dates back to 1520-1570, and originated in the Ming Dynasty.

“Ancient Chinese porcelain vessels were previously found in Israel, but this is the first to bear an inscription,” say the researchers.

How did a dish make its way from China to Mount Zion? Historical writings indicate close 16th century trade relations between the Chinese Empire and the Ottoman Empire, then ruling the Land of Israel.

According to Ming Dynasty annals, about 20 official Ottoman delegations visited the imperial court in Beijing during the 15th-17th centuries.

The trade relations between these empires are also described in travel books of merchants from this period.

Thus, the writings of the Chinese scholar Ma Li from 1541 note colonies of Chinese merchants in Lebanese coastal cities such as Beirut and Tripoli. The work even mentions other important cities in the region such as Jerusalem, Cairo and Aleppo.

“In archaeological research, evidence of trade relations between merchants in the Land of Israel and the Far East is known even from earlier periods – for example, of various spices,” said Israel Antiquities Authority Director Eli Escusido.

“But it is fascinating to meet evidence of these relations also in the form of an actual inscription, written in the Chinese language, and in an unexpected place – on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.”

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12-year-old girl finds ancient Egyptian amulet during a family trip in central Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

Dafna Filshteiner, age 12, was recently hiking below the ancient site of Tel Qana in Hod Hasharon, when suddenly, to her surprise, she discovered an unusual find a beetle-like stone used as an Egyptian amulet about 3,500 years ago.

“I was looking down at the ground to find porcupine needles and smooth pebbles,” Filshteiner said.

“And suddenly I picked up an interesting stone. I showed it to my mother, and she said it was just an ordinary stone or a bead. But then I saw a decoration and stubbornly insisted it was more than that, so we searched on the Internet.”

“There, we identified more photos of stones similar to what we had found. We realized that it was something special and immediately called the Antiquities Authority.”

The family turned to Mor Wiesel, an archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority, who thanked Dafna and her family, awarded them a certificate of excellence for good citizenship, and transferred the scarab to the state archives housed in the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel.

The find was examined by Dr. Yitzhak Paz, Bronze Age expert at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The item was found to date back to the New Kingdom period in Egypt, about 3,500 years ago. Two scorpions appear on it, standing head to tail.

“The scorpion symbol represented the Egyptian goddess Serket, who was considered responsible, among other things, for protecting pregnant mothers,” Dr. Paz said.

“Another decoration on the amulet is the nefer symbol, which in Egyptian means ‘good’ or ‘chosen’. There is also another symbol which looks like a royal staff.”

The scarab is an amulet designed in the shape of a dung beetle. This beetle, considered sacred in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, was a symbol of new life, because it would create a dung ball, lay its eggs in it, from which new life then hatched.

The Egyptian name derives from the verb “to form,” or “to be created”, as the Egyptians saw the scarab as symbolizing the embodiment of the divine creator.

The scarab amulets found in Israel––sometimes used as a seal––are evidence of Egyptian rule in our region about 3,500 years ago, and its cultural influence on this region.

“The scarab is indeed a distinct Egyptian characteristic, but their wide distribution also reached far beyond Egypt’s borders,” Paz added.

“It may have been dropped by an important and authoritative figure passing through the area, or it may have been deliberately buried. Since the find was discovered on the surface, it is difficult to know its exact context.”

Tel Qana, which stands near the findspot of the scarab, is an archaeological site of great historical importance.

“This find is both exciting and significant,” said Dr. Amit Dagan of Bar-Ilan University and Dr. Ayelet Dayan from the Israel Antiquities Authority, who are conducting excavations at the site.

“The scarab and its unique pictorial features, along with other finds discovered at Tel Qana with similar motifs, provide new insights into the nature of the Egyptian influence in the region in general, and the Yarkon area in particular.”

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Archeologists unearth 5,000-year-old town outside of Bet Shemesh, shedding light on the early urbanization of the region.

By World Israel News Staff

A 5,000-year-old settlement, which provides a view of the beginning of the urbanization process in the Levant, was discovered in the Israel Antiquities Authority excavations near Bet Shemesh at the site of Hurvat Husham.

The excavations took place in preparation for the expansion of the city’s western industrial zone, ‘Brosh’, at the initiative of the Shamir Engineering Group and the Bet Shemesh Economic Development Company.

The excavation revealed, among other things, a public building that may have been used for ritual activity, and in it a room with about 40 vessels preserved intact. Among them were also many tiny vessels, whose size suggests they were not for domestic use, but rather had a mainly symbolic purpose.

The vessels were preserved in their original place – just as they were placed by the people living there in the Early Bronze Age IB (end of the 4th millennium BCE).

“It is interesting that these many pots and juglets were placed here just shortly before the entire site was abandoned forever,” said Ariel Shatil, Maayan Hamed and Danny Benayoun, the Israel Antiquities Authority excavation directors.

“You can literally imagine the people who put down this ware and left it all here. It is not known what happened in this room later, but there are signs of burning, and vessels that fell on top of each other.”

“Laboratory examination of their former contents of the vessels using different scientific methods will shed additional light on the site: We will be able to tell if they contained oil, water, wheat – or perhaps they were specifically for exotic oils or other substances.”

“The size of this structure that we uncovered, its broad walls, the benches inside it and other variables indicate that it is an important and exceptional structure with a public function – perhaps a temple,” say the excavation managers.

“We know almost no public buildings in Israel from this ancient period and earlier,” say the researchers. “Comparison with the few known buildings of this type produces the conclusion that this is probably one of the earliest temples ever discovered in the Judean Lowlands.”

Near the public building, a complex was discovered with large standing stones arranged in rows.

“The standing stones were erected even before this enclosed public building was erected. Their presence promises to be instructive of the socio-political process involved in the founding of the cultic service in Hurvat Husham – it seems that originally there was an open cultic activity area for the general public which then transformed into ritual activity in an enclosed compound with more controlled access.”

“This development process on the site, along with other processes, attests to an increase in social complexity,” says Dr. Yitzhak Paz, Early Bronze Age expert at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“This is one of the indicators of urbanization development in Israel during the Early Bronze Age. Two kilns for pottery manufacture were also discovered at the site, from the earliest ever discovered in Israel.”

The ancient settlement in Hurvat Husham was first discovered in 2021, in excavations conducted by Marion Zindel and Natan Ben-Ari on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

In the last three-and-a-half years the excavation was expanded which clarified the extent of the site and its importance for understanding the origins of the urbanization process in Israel.

The Early Bronze Age is one of the most complex periods in Israel’s history, during which dramatic changes took place in the lifestyle and worldview of the region’s inhabitants.

The number of people who lived in Israel increased dramatically. For the first time social complexity was created, as well as the political structure of a hierarchical society.

At the peak of the period, the acceleration of the urbanization phenomenon is evident, and monumental public construction can already be seen –fortifications, religious and government buildings, expertise and standardization in various industries, and more intensive trade with neighboring regions such as Egypt, Syria, Anatolia and Mesopotamia.

“The site uncovered in Hurvat Husham is exceptional not only because of its size, but because it reveals to us some of the first characteristics of the transition from village life to urban life,” say the excavation managers.

“The site teaches us that about 5,000 years ago, the first steps were already taken towards the development of an urban society in the Judean Lowlands. A few generations later, we already see large cities in the area, surrounded by a wall, with palaces and other buildings – such as at the site of Tel Yarmouth, which is in this site’s range of vision.”

According to Israel Antiquities Authority Director Eli Escusido, “The Land of Israel, due to its nature and its geographical location, was a fertile ground for the development of ancient civilizations. The Hurvat Husham site uncovered by the researchers of the Israel Antiquities Authority, reveals another important piece in the puzzle of urban development in our region.”

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