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A rare discovery from the days of the Bar Kochba revolt: Jerusalem police seize 2,000-year-old ancient tools | Israel today

2021-12-15T07:16:09.462Z


Detectives detaining a suspicious vehicle were shocked to discover a box laden with spectacular antique items, including incense cans, a bronze wine jug, and hundreds of coins from the Roman period. • Estimated: Antiquities Dealer • Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority: "The findings contain the story of the country, there is great value in thwarting the antiquities trade for greed money"


What did decorated bronze pots for incense and vessels for pouring wine do, in a hiding system from the days of the Bar Kochba revolt in the Judean Plain?

The Jerusalem police seized spectacular archeological finds from antiquities dealers, and Antiquities Authority investigators estimate that they were part of a loot taken by Bar Kochba rebel fighters in battles with Roman soldiers.

Last week, during a routine activity in the Musrara neighborhood, detectives from the Lev HaBira police station noticed a vehicle traveling against the direction of the sign and aroused their suspicion.

After delaying the vehicle and its occupants for inspection, the wearers were astonished to find in the trunk a crate containing the unusual archeological finds.

Inspectors from the Antiquities Authority's Robbery Prevention Unit, who were called to the police station, immediately understood that these were finds from the Roman period that had been preserved in an exceptional condition.

A 2,000-year-old bronze censer used to burn incense at worship ceremonies, Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

Among other things, two 2,000-year-old decorated bronze cans were seized, which were used to burn incense in ritual ceremonies and were common in the homes of Roman nobles and temples.

In addition to them, a bronze jug was found that was used to pour wine, and on it is depicted a scene of a Roman feast with a human figure lying and turning for her enjoyment with a jug of wine in her hand.

Also seized were a decorated stone bowl with three legs, Roman clay candles, and hundreds of coins dating to the Late Roman period - the second and third centuries AD.

The Antiquities Authority noted that the bronze items that were exposed are relatively rare in the country because, like today, metal was an expensive material that used to be smelted for reuse.

Such items are found at archeological sites in circumstances where they were deliberately hidden, or taken as part of a war booty into the hiding systems where the fighters of the Bar Kochba revolt hid.

Rare discovery: the loot taken by Bar Kochba warriors from the Romans // Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

A host of fighters from the Bar Kochba revolt

The discovery of the findings led to the opening of a criminal investigation by the Antiquities Authority against the three suspects who were in the vehicle, from which suspicion arose that the items were brought to Jerusalem with the intention of selling them to an antiques dealer.

The Robbery Prevention Unit believes that the ancient items were looted from a hiding system from the days of the Bar Kochba revolt in the Judean Plain area, which has been under surveillance in recent months.

The unit clarified that the explanation that the tools were taken as booty by Bar Kochba fighters, and were not used by the Jewish fighters, stems from the fact that it is a cult tool typical of Romans carrying pagan figures and symbols - in contrast to the Jewish prohibition of "do not make a statue and mask."

In addition, the Temple was no longer standing on its own during the Bar Kochba revolt, and therefore there was no Jewish worship of offering offerings or incense.

When the Jewish fighters wanted to use such tools, they used to cut the noses of the figures in order to abolish the ban on foreign labor.

Decorated bronze jug used for pouring wine, Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority

Amir Ganor, director of the Antiquities Authority's Antiquities Robbery Prevention Unit: "We recently identified unauthorized archeological excavations at the site from the time of the Bar Kochba revolt, near the Tarkumiya crossing. "They managed to escape. During their escape, they left behind in the excavation ancient finds similar to the finds that have now been seized by the suspects, and we believe that the finds came from this site."

The director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Eli Escozido: "The authority makes a daily effort to prevent unauthorized excavations at antiquities sites throughout the country, in cooperation with the Israel Police and other law enforcement agencies. "Offered for sale for greed. There is great value in thwarting antiquities attempts, seizing the valuable findings and returning them to the public and state.

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Source: israelhayom

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