EGN NEWS DESK
A group of researchers surveying the Judean Desert as a part of a mission to thwart the pillaging of historical treasures by antiquity looters have unearthed a lot of uncommon cash relationship again to the Bar Kokhba Revolt, a large-scale armed riot in opposition to the Roman Empire by the Jews of Judea which started in 132 CE.
The cash had been found within the Mazuq Ha-he’teqim Nature Reserve by a group of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority Prevention of Archaeological Theft Unit, conducting the Judean Desert Cave Survey, working in cooperation with the Ministry of Heritage and the Archaeological Office for the Military Administration of Judea and Samaria.
In addition to a few cash bearing the title ‘Simeon’, the trove included a very vital discover — a uncommon coin inscribed on one facet with a bunch of grapes surrounded by the textual content ‘Year One of the Redemption of Israel’, and bearing the title of ‘Eleazar the Priest’ on the opposite.
The researchers consider it could discuss with Rabbi Eleazar Hamod’ai, a pupil of Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakai who performed a big non secular position on the time of the Bar Kokhba Revolt. Eleazar is referenced in Talmud and lived within the city of Beitar—the situation the place the revolt was headquartered.
Teams of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority Prevention of Archaeological Theft Unit have been surveying the Judean Desert since 2017 in a race to uncover priceless antiquities earlier than looters can pillage them.
Their earlier discoveries embrace scroll fragments of the Twelve Minor Prophets and Roman iron swords—one nonetheless in its sheath. The group additionally uncovered the earliest full basket ever discovered.
The public has been invited to participate within the present excavation season, becoming a member of the group at their camp within the desert for ten days. As effectively as attending lectures and different actions, volunteers will get the chance to help researchers on the dig and play their half on this necessary work preserving and defending Biblical historical past.
“We invite the general public to affix us within the seventh excavation season within the desert, to assist save the Judean Desert archaeological finds, endangered by antiquities theft,” says Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
“The Judean Desert excavations don’t stop to amaze us, and we hope that on this season we may also be capable of report necessary finds.”
