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The Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Queen Esther at the city gate. Painting by Sandro Botticelli

Esther: the story of a queen

A study examines the attitude towards Queen Esther in art, religion, literature and plays in the 16th-15th century in Italy
A close-up of the astrolabe of Verona shows an inscription in Hebrew (top left) above Arabic inscriptions. Credit: Federica Gigante

"Incredibly rare" ancient astrolabe discovered in Italy reveals Islamic-Jewish scientific exchanges

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A scientist has discovered a unique Islamic astrolabe from the eleventh century in Verona, Italy, which includes inscriptions in Arabic and Hebrew. This find illustrates the rich scientific collaboration between Muslim, Jewish and Christian cultures in the Middle Ages, and presents the astrolabe as a symbol of intercultural exchange of knowledge
The hand carved in the wall of the moat. Photo by Yuli Schwartz, Antiquities Authority

A huge 1,000-year-old moat and a mysterious handprint carved into the rock were uncovered in front of the walls of Jerusalem

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The new parts of the defense system on the walls of Old Jerusalem against Crusader attacks were discovered during archaeological excavations by the Antiquities Authority on Sultan Suleiman Street, prior to the laying of infrastructure at the initiative of the Jerusalem Municipality through the Moriah Jerusalem Development Company
Findings in Nahal Omer in the Arava indicating extensive international trade in the seventh and eighth centuries AD. Photo: excavation team

Has the Israeli Silk Road been discovered?

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Cotton fabrics and silk fabrics originating in India and China from about 1,300 years ago found in the Arabah testify to ancient trade from the Far East, through the Land of Israel and Europe
The treasure of gold discovered in Banias. Photo: Dafna Gazit, Antiquities Authority

A cache of 44 gold coins that are about 1,400 years old was discovered in the excavation of the Antiquities Authority in the Nahal Hermon Nature Reserve

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The treasure is evidence of a dramatic moment in the country's history - the conquest of the Byzantine Empire by the Umayyad House. Archaeologist of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Dr. Yoav Lerer: "Whoever buried the coins in a wall must have performed a miracle on his soul in the hope of returning and collecting his property, but he was not successful."
The three most powerful fighting giants: Riel, Birkhilt and Rakhine, Runkelstein Castle, 1395 (Photo: Stiftung Bozner Schlösser/ Fondazione Castelli di Bolzano)

About giants and civilians

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Designing figures of heroes as giants in Gothic art marked the strengthening of urban power, the weakening of religion and the beginning of social mobility
The gold ring as found in the water in one of the two shipwrecks that were uncovered in Caesarea. Photo: Antiquities Authority

Two shipwrecks were uncovered in Caesarea

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A maritime archaeological survey by the Antiquities Authority in Caesarea revealed a treasure of two ancient shipwrecks, including hundreds of silver coins, gold and silver rings, rare decorated gems, an eagle statuette, bells, and parts of a ship. According to the researchers of the Maritime Archeology Unit at the Antiquities Authority: "The findings tell the story of two ships that were wrecked, along with their passengers, at different times, probably while trying to anchor or find shelter from a storm."
The director of the excavation in Yavne, Liat Nadav-Ziv. The highlight of the gitots are shell-shaped cells - an ornament that indicates the wealth of the owners of the factory

A huge and impressive wine factory was uncovered in Yavne, the largest known in the world from the Byzantine period

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Archaeologists: "About 2 million liters of wine were produced here every year." The huge 1500-year-old industrial area was revealed in archaeological excavations by the Antiquities Authority before the expansion of the city, initiated by the Israel Lands Authority  
The gold coin that was uncovered in the excavation and has an engraving on it to indicate ownership. Photo by Amir Gorzalzani, Antiquities Authority

Evidence of agricultural and industrial activity was uncovered in Ramat Hasharon as early as 1500 years ago

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Ramat Hasharon will soon celebrate its 100th year, but it turns out that it is much older than we thought. Archaeological excavations by the Antiquities Authority, which are taking place in preparation for the establishment of a new neighborhood initiated by the Sharon Municipality, revealed, among other things, a large wine cellar, a gold coin, and a bronze chain for hanging a chandelier
Trash in the bud. Photo: Yotam Teper

The sheep dung tells the story of the sunset of the Byzantine Negev cities

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The inhabitants of the Byzantine Negev used sheep droppings to fertilize the green fields. With the transition to the Islamic period and the beginning of the collapse of the Negev cities, the sheep's dung is piled up in the barns in such large quantities that it is necessary to burn them
The smallpox epidemic arrived in Mexico by the Spanish expedition led by Papino de Narvaez and spread throughout the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in the late 16s. Photo: shutterstock

How the modern world was shaped by plagues 500 years ago

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Epidemics of virgin soil - ones that the local inhabitants had not yet encountered - wiped out most of the native populations in America. The lack of local labor made it necessary to import slaves. This established the supremacy of Europe. Is it possible that if the natives had survived, the distribution of power would have been different?
Photos of the cache as found in the field. Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Antiquities Authority

A cache of 425 coins made of pure gold from about 1,100 years ago was discovered

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The treasure was uncovered by apprentices of a year of service in the excavation of the Antiquities Authority in the center of the country
A jury in Mexico. From jumpstory

Things that donors know: why are there no juries in Israel?

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The mosaic floor of the old church. Photo by Alex Wiegman, Israel Antiquities Authority

An impressive 1300-year-old church, which seems to have been part of a monastery, was uncovered in Kfar Kama near Mount Tabor

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Peasants' Revolt in 1381. Miniature by Jean de Webrin

What can the Black Death teach us about the global economic consequences of an epidemic like the Corona?

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Consequences of Justinian's plague. Illustration: From a study by Dr. Lee Mordechai from the Hebrew University

New research reveals that Justinian's plague did not contribute to the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Islam

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The rare treasure in the field. Photo: Yaniv Berman, courtesy of the Caesarea Development Company

A cache of rare gold coins and a 900-year-old gold earring were discovered in the port of Caesarea

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A wall painting from the Byzantine period in which you see the face of the Christian Jesus in the tribe. Photo: Haifa University

A wall painting from the Byzantine period showing the face of the Christian Jesus was discovered for the first time in Israel

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Map of Midaba, showing ships loading salt. From Wikipedia

"The salt of the earth..." and its minerals

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A hidden silver cross on a brass weight, in the Susita excavations, the hiding was done so as not to upset the early Muslim rule. Photo: Haifa University

"Religious tolerance" worded in the seventh century AD

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The fractures in the dome of the skull. Photo: Clara Amit, Antiquities Authority

Researchers believe: "We discovered the earliest evidence of blood feud"

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In the photo: the curse plate for one of its opening. In red are marked the words "Mare" (horse or mare) as well as "Bent", "Benita") the Blue faction). Photo: Paula Ertel-Isbrand courtesy of Alexander Holman

A Jewish curse tablet from the XNUMXth century AD that was intended to fail the team competing in horse races has been deciphered

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The lower part of the astronomical clock in Prague and two of the figures that come out during the show that takes place every hour between nine in the morning and nine in the evening. Photo: shutterstock

The astronomy behind the Astronomical Clock in Prague, which began operating 605 years ago today

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A water reservoir from the Byzantine period in Palmahim. Photo: Gili Cohen courtesy of the Antiquities Authority

A clean-up operation by teenagers rediscovered an irrigation system from the Byzantine era for the public's welfare in the Palmachim Beach National Park

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The signature on the shield was engraved by King John, 1215. Illustration by John Leech from 1875. Illustration: shutterstock

800 years since the signing of the Magna Carta - the basis of constitutional law and democracy

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