Two impressive Roman busts were found in early December near Beit She’an – thanks to the alertness of a local resident, who spotted the top of one of the busts’ heads sticking out of the ground as she was taking a walk north of the old city.
“These busts were made of local limestone and they show unique facial features, details of clothing and hairstyles…. Similar busts have been found in the past in the Beit She’an area and in northern Jordan. But not one resembles another, and that’s the importance of these finds. These busts are in the Oriental style, which shows that at the end of the Roman period the use of Classical art had subsided, and local trends came into vogue,” said Dr. Eitan Klein, deputy head of the Israel Antiquities Authority Theft Prevention Unit, who was notified of the find by the resident.
According to Nir Distelfeld, Israel Antiquities Authority Theft Prevention Unit inspector, “These are very important finds, which tell us a great deal about the inhabitants of the Beth She’an area in antiquity.”