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Archeology in the Land of Israel

Dr. Ashbel Retzon. How did the people of Qumran during the Second Temple period decipher the state of the stars? Photo: Tel Aviv University Spokesperson

It's written in the stars

Dr. Ashbel Retzon combines digital tools for the study of the ancient world and is working on new digital editions of all the astronomical scrolls and the tablet scrolls from Qumran
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."
A 2,700-year-old stone toilet (Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)

The hygiene patterns of the wealthy of Jerusalem during the days of the First Temple

Intestinal worm eggs discovered in toilets from that period reveal that the upper class also suffered from infectious diseases due to poor hygiene conditions
Excavations in a synagogue from the time of the Second Temple in Migdal. Photo: Haifa University

A second synagogue from the days of the Second Temple was found in the excavations in the tower

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This is the first case that two synagogues from the Second Temple period are in the same settlement. "The discovery of a second synagogue in the Galilee settlement sheds light on the social and religious life of the Jews in the Galilee during this period and indicates the need for a special structure for studying and reading the Torah and social gathering," said Dina Avshalom Gurani from the University of Haifa, a partner in the management of the excavations
An urn that was uncovered in the excavations of the building from the days of the Sanhedrin. Photo by Emil Eljam, Antiquities Authority

For the first time: the remains of a building from the days of the Sanhedrin were uncovered in Yavne

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*The discovery was made in the huge excavation of the Antiquities Authority in Yavne, funded by the Israel Lands Authority and in cooperation with the Yavne municipality on the occasion of the expansion of the city. Fragments of stone vessels made of Kirton were discovered in the building, indicating a Jewish presence.
Works in the citadel - aerial view. Photo by Emil Eljam, Antiquities Authority

A fortified structure from the Hellenistic period, which the Hasmoneans destroyed and burned, was uncovered in excavations in the Lachish forest

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"The destruction of the building is probably related to the conquest of the area by the Hasmonean Yochanan Hyrcanus, around the year 112 BC," say archaeologists of the Antiquities Authority, who managed the excavation with the funding of a landmarks project at the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, and with the participation of students from the Land of Israel Studies and Archeology program at the Ministry of Education
Tel Lachish and the remains of the battery. Photo courtesy of the Hebrew University

New research reveals how the Assyrian siege wall at Lakish was built (and the only one known in the world)

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The study proves the amazing power, size, strength and skills of the Assyrian army for that period, and the truth of biblical quotations concerning the words of the prophet Isaiah who lived at that time
Nir Distelfeld from the Antiquities Authority with the sword. Photo by Anastasia Shapiro Antiquities Authority

Snorkeled in the Carmel beach area and discovered a knight's sword, about 900 years old

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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
Yerubael address, photo: Dafna Gazit, Antiquities Authority.

For the first time: a rare inscription from the days of the Judges was discovered, which refers to the Book of Judges

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Who are you Yerubael? The man is mentioned in a 3,100-year-old inscription that was discovered near Kiryat Gat, in the excavations of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Antiquities Authority and McQuarrie University in Sydney. , belonged to him"
A group of Neanderthals prepares to hunt. Photo: depositphotos.com

Out of Africa: In the wake of modern man and the Neanderthals he met

Scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science and archaeologists from the Antiquities Authority returned to the archaeological site of Boker Attama in the Negev, and shed new light on a defining chapter in human evolution
Excerpts from the Teri Asherash scroll were uncovered in the Yehuda desert operation before they were preserved. Photo: Shai Halevi, Antiquities Authority

Fragments of new scrolls, the skeleton of a 6,000-year-old girl and the oldest complete basket in the world were discovered in David Yehuda

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This is the first time after about 60 years that fragments of scrolls from the books of the Bible have been discovered in excavations. The fragments, rewritten in Greek, include remnants of the books of the Ten Prophets, among them Zechariah and Nahum * The remains of the scroll and other rare finds were discovered by archaeologists of the Antiquities Authority in a challenging national project and dramatic, designed to eradicate the looting of antiquities in the Judean desert
David dressed in crimson at the time of his anointing to the kingship by Shmuel (mosaic of the synagogue in Dora Europos, Syria, 3rd century AD. From Wikipedia

A cloth dyed in crimson was identified - the colors of royal clothing from the time of David and Solomon 3,000 years ago

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In a joint study by the Antiquities Authority, Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University, archaeologists unearthed pieces of cloth dyed in the royal scarlet color from the time of Kings David and Solomon.
The tag of the girl Annie Caper. On this side - the girl's name and address. Photo by Yoram Chaimi

Personal identification tags worn by four children sent to the extermination camp in Sobibor, Poland, were uncovered in an archaeological dig at the site

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The children of the tags: Leah Yehudit Delpaniya, Dedi Zak, Annie Caper, the child David Yehuda. Yoram Chaimi, archaeologist of the Antiquities Authority: "I have been digging at the site for ten years, and on this day I broke down."
Children from Hispin who volunteer in the excavation point to the figures blackened on the stone. Photo: Yaniv Berman, Antiquities Authority

For the first time: a fortified complex from the time of King David was discovered in the Golan

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Unearthed in archaeological excavations by the Antiquities Authority prior to the expansion of the settlement of Hispin, funded by the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Golan Regional Council *According to the archaeologists, "it is likely that the Goshurites, who ruled the Golan and maintained diplomatic and family ties with King David and his dynasty, operated in the citadel"
A barbell worth 2 shekels from the First Temple period. Photo by Shai Halevi, Antiquities Authority (5)

An ancient weight of two shekels from the First Temple period was discovered at the Western Wall

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According to Dr. Barak Monikandam-Givaon and Thila Lieberman, the managers of the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority: "The barbell is made in the shape of a dome with a flat base. At the top of the weight is carved a sign that resembles the letter E, an Egyptian sign that represents an abbreviation of the word 'shekel', and next to it are two lines indicating two shekels
The second title excavation uncovered. Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Antiquities Authority

Has the 'Commissioner's Palace' from the First Temple period been revealed?

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Magnificent and rare remains of a royal building from the time of the kings of Judah were discovered in an excavation by the Antiquities Authority on the famous Jerusalem Promenade
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
cache images. Photo: Liat Nadav-Ziv, Antiquities Authority

A 1200-year-old hoard of gold coins was discovered in archaeological excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Yavne

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Excavations in the biblical Betzkalg. Photo-excavation expedition to Horbat al-Rai (8)

Researchers from the Hebrew University, the Antiquities Authority and Macquarie University in Sydney: "We have found the biblical Tzkelg"

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The remains of the fortress. Photo: Assaf Peretz, courtesy of the Antiquities Authority

Antiquities Authority researchers estimate: We found the remains of the Hakra - the citadel with which the Greeks controlled the Temple until they were defeated in the Hasmonean rebellion

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Is a large burial structure recently uncovered by the Antiquities Authority and residents of the Modi'in area, the real tomb of the Maccabees?

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A close-up photo of a Byzantine well discovered during rescue excavations by the Antiquities Authority in Ramat Ha'il, February 2014. Photo: Hami Schiff, courtesy of the Antiquities Authority

A large and impressive 1,400-year-old well was uncovered in archaeological excavations by the Antiquities Authority in Ramat Ha'il

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witch (halloween witch) Photo: shutterstock

An ancient curse writing from 1700 years ago was discovered in the excavations of the Antiquities Authority in the city of David

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