Also uncovered in the same excavation were fragments of papyrus documents and 2,200-year-old weapons.
A large pyramid-shaped structure with a roadside station underneath it from about 2,200 years ago – the days of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid rulers – is being uncovered these days north of Nahal Zohar in the Judean Desert, in an excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Ministry of Heritage that is currently underway with the participation of volunteers from all over the country. Among the finds uncovered at the site so far are pieces of inscribed papyrus documents, bronze coins from the days of Antiochus IV and the Ptolemaic kings, weapons, wooden tools and pieces of cloth.
According to Matan Toledano, Dr. Eitan Klein and Amir Ganor, the excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority"This is one of the richest and most intriguing archaeological excavations in the Judean Desert. The structure we discovered is enormous, and its stones were hand-hewn, with each stone weighing hundreds of kilograms. In the first week alone, the volunteers found written historical documents, unique bronze vessels, and remains of ancient furniture, which, thanks to the desert climate, have been preserved in amazing condition. This is a very promising site – finds are being discovered here every moment, and we are curious to find out what else the next three weeks will yield."
The excavation in Nahal Zohar is part of a large-scale operation led by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the Judean Desert to save archaeological finds from the threat of robbery. This is a national project that began about 8 years ago, with joint funding from the Ministry of Heritage, the Archaeology Division of the Civil Administration, and the Israel Antiquities Authority. The dedicated survey team of the Robbery Prevention Unit systematically scanned the entire Judean Desert along 180 kilometers of cliffs, and located about 900 caves. With the help of rappelling equipment, advanced technologies, and unique documentation methods, thousands of rare items were uncovered – including hidden scrolls, papyrus fragments, wooden tools, weapons, fabrics, leather items, straw braids, and hoards of coins.
"This excavation changes historical knowledge about the site," they say Toledano, Klein and Ganor. "Contrary to previous hypotheses that attributed the structure to the days of the First Temple, it appears that it was built later - in the Hellenistic period - during the Ptolemaic rule in Israel. We still do not know for sure what the structure was used for. Was it a military base that guarded an important trade route through which salt mines and asphalt from the Dead Sea were transported to the coastal area? Or perhaps at some point the enormous structure at the top of the mountain served as a marker for a tomb or a hill in ancient times? This is a fascinating historical mystery - and fortunately, the public who come to the excavation are partners in discovering the answers."
According to Eli Escozido, director of the Antiquities Authority"The Judean Desert Survey is one of the most important archaeological operations in the history of the country. The discoveries are exciting, and their significance for archaeological and historical research is enormous. Just before Passover and with the beginning of spring, I invite the people of Israel to come and participate. In such a challenging time, a few days of stay and discovery in the Judean Desert can be a bonding and uplifting experience for everyone."
The Israel Antiquities Authority has set up a well-organized camp for volunteers to stay overnight, provides food and water, and provides educational lectures on archaeology every evening. The excavation will continue for another three weeks.
More details On the website of the Antiquities Authority.
4-2 Excavation by the Israel Antiquities Authority and volunteers north of Nahal Zohar. Photo: Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority
5. The Israel Antiquities Authority invites the public to join the excavation. Photo: Emil Aljem, Israel Antiquities Authority
6. The excavation changes historical knowledge about the site. Photo: Judean Desert Team at the Israel Antiquities Authority
7. Volunteers working on the excavation north of Nahal Zohar. Photo by Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority
8. Coins from the time of Antiochus Epiphanes IV were discovered in the excavation. Photo - Judean Desert Survey Team at the Israel Antiquities Authority
9. A fragment of a papyrus document written in Greek discovered by volunteers during the excavation. Photo by Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority
10. Dozens of colorful beads discovered at the site. Photo: Emil Aljem, Israel Antiquities Authority
11. Ancient button. Photograph by the Robbery Prevention Unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority.
12. An ancient sewing needle discovered in an excavation. Photo by the Judean Desert Survey Team at the Israel Antiquities Authority.
13. Ancient grains. The dry climate in the desert preserves organic artifacts for thousands of years. Photo by Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority
14. Video with English subtitles. Photo: Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority
15. Raw video without music and subtitles. Photo: Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority
For additional details and to schedule interviews: Shai Konser, Spokesperson Coordinator at the Israel Antiquities Authority -240-9960-050
2 תגובות
Where are all the photos you mentioned in the article and even listed in such a neat way?????
Disappointingly disappointing.
Come on, really?
The structure is not "mysterious" and certainly not "discovered."
For the source of Zohar has been known to every Rabbi for at least a hundred years,
The site is located on a road that went down to the Dead Sea and even in Operation Lot.
Our forces will descend to complete the takeover of the southern Dead Sea,
The findings discovered during the excavation are indeed impressive.
But a "sensational" headline doesn't justify it as if it were news.
Trying to match Y-Net….