Researchers from Tel Aviv University discovered a rare 3,000-year-old jewelry cache in Tel Megiddo

This is one of the most valuable treasures found in Israel from the time of the Bible.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University discovered a 3,100-year-old treasure of rare and valuable jewelry in Tel Megiddo. The treasure is from the period when a Canaanite city existed there, and it dates to the beginning of the Iron Age. This settlement was the last Canaanite city in Megiddo, and that was before the northern kingdom of Israel made it its possession. The excavation at Tel Megiddo, led by Professors David Osishkin and Israel Finkelstein from Tel Aviv University and Eric Klein from George Washington University in the USA, has been going on for twenty years. The area where the treasure is found was excavated under the direction of Mr. Eran Aryeh.

The pottery vessel in which the treasure is found was discovered in excavations conducted at the mound in 2010, but since it was filled with dirt, its contents were not known at the time. Last July, the vessel was emptied in a controlled manner in the restoration laboratories of the Institute of Archeology at Tel Aviv University, and to the astonishment of those present, it turned out that it contained valuable jewels. Already now, it is clear that this is one of the richest treasures from the time of the Bible found in Israel.

The hoard includes nine large earrings and a signet ring (with an engraving of a fish), all made of gold, as well as over a thousand tiny beads of gold, silver and carnelian (a bright orange semi-precious stone), woven into a spectacular necklace. Also, a bundle wrapped in a linen cloth was discovered in the cache, and in it, additional jewelry made of silver. The state of preservation of the objects is very good (see photos 1 and 2).

One of the gold earrings is a work of art that has never been seen before in the collection of jewelry excavated in our area (see photo 3). It is a basket-like earring, inside which is designed a small bird, perhaps an ostrich. Eight miniature animals with horns, probably goats, were attached to its exterior. Although no exact equivalent of the object has been found, its style as well as the fact that it is made of gold suggest an Egyptian influence in its production. Prof. Klein explains that "Egyptian influence in Megiddo is well known in the period in question".

The treasure is found in a small pottery jar, in the corner of a spacious, stone-paved courtyard. He was placed inside a clay bowl and another bowl was placed on it, which served as a lid (see photo 4). It is likely that it was the jewelry box of the owners of the house. Prof. Osishkin added that "it was perhaps a jewelry collection of a Canaanite woman who lived there." Despite the good economic situation of the residents of the building, their fate did not improve, and around 1,100 BC, their house was destroyed. It is still unknown what the circumstances were that led to the building's destruction, and why its residents did not return to take their jewelry.

So far, about 25 jewelry hoards from the Iron Age have been found in Israel - most of them contain only silver objects. "The importance of the new cache from Megiddo lies in the large amount of gold it contains," says Prof. Finkelstein. "Also, the fact that it dates well to the beginning of the Iron Age, will make it possible to confirm the beginning of the use of silver in our region and the almost complete disappearance of gold objects, which occurred at the same time as the withdrawal of Egyptian rule from Canaan at the end of the Late Bronze Age (around 1,150 BC) ".

The hoard will undergo many analyzes at Tel Aviv University, the Weizmann Institute and the Israel Museum before being presented to the general public.