A cache of 44 pure gold coins that are about 1,400 years old was discovered in the excavation of the Antiquities Authority in the Nahal Hermon nature reserve.
The excavation of the Antiquities Authority, which is being managed these days with the financing of the Electric Company, in preparation for connecting the Makam Nabi Khader site, sacred to the Druze, to the electricity grid.
The treasure is evidence of a dramatic moment in the country's history - the conquest of the Byzantine Empire by the Umayyad House.
A cache of 44 gold coins that are about 1,400 years old // Photo: Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority
Dr. Gabriela Bichovsky, a coin expert at the Antiquities Authority who examined the hoard, determined that it contained several coins of Emperor Phokas (602-610 AD) and many coins minted by Emperor Heraclius (610-641 AD).
All coins are of Solidus value.
The latest coins of Heraclius date the hoard to the days of the Arab occupation.
Dr. Yoav Lerer, director of the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority: "The treasure, which weighs about 170 grams, was buried at the base of a wall built of gasite stones, during the occupation of the Land of Israel by the Muslim Caliphs of the Umayyad House. The find provides us with a picture of a moment in time, when One can literally imagine the man hiding his fortune from the terror of the war, and this - in the hope of returning and collecting his possessions. Today we know that his fate did not favor him." in the city".
A 1,400-year-old discovery, photo: Yaniv Berman, Israel Antiquities Authority
Dr. Bichovski stated that: "Most of the coins in the hoard belong to the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, and what is particularly interesting about them is that at the beginning of the emperor's career, you only see his portrait on the coin, but very quickly, the portraits of his family members join him.
You can literally see the growth process of his sons on the coins, from childhood - until they appear on the coin when they are the same height as their father the emperor, who appears with a long beard.'
The excavation, which was carried out in the northwestern residential quarter of the ancient city of Nias, revealed the remains of buildings, canals and pipes for transporting water, a furnace for making ceramic vessels, and many small finds, including fragments of pottery, glass, metals and bronze coins.
These date from the end of the Byzantine period (the beginning of the 7th century AD about 1380 years ago), and the early Middle Ages (the 11th-13th centuries AD - about 800 years ago).
The Banias is an archaeological site - now a nature reserve under the management of the Nature and Parks Authority, where a settlement existed during different periods: first, the Canaanites established a settlement there with a temple to the god Baal in the center.
In the Hellenistic period, the place was used as a place of worship for the god "Pan" - (hence the name Panias, which over time was mistaken for Banias).
The settlement reached its peak during the Roman period.
Herod, and following him - Philip his son, rebuilt the place, and called it "Caesarea - Philippi", in honor of Augustus Caesar.
In Christianity, the Banias became famous for being the place where Jesus gave Peter, the chief of the apostles, the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
During the Crusader period, the Crusaders tried, in 1129, to fortify the city, in order for it to be used as their starting point for the conquest of Damascus, but this was a short period that ended quickly, because the Muslim forces captured the city in 1132.
Pure gold, photo: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority
Eli Escozido, director of the Antiquities Authority: "This is an important treasure of great archaeological value for the study of the history of the settlement in the Golan.
This is a treasure from the transition period, which was one of the most important time periods in the development of the city of Nias.
The Antiquities Authority, in coordination and cooperation with the Nature and Parks Authority, will work to present the treasure to the general public."
Raya Shurki, CEO of the Nature and Parks Authority: "The Banias Nature Reserve, for its beautiful and unique nature and landscape values, never ceases to surprise in terms of its heritage values as well.
The discovery of the gold hoard coincides with the recent discovery of a Byzantine church in Banias, which is, perhaps, the church of St. Peter.
The church, which was damaged by an earthquake that hit the north of the country, will soon be shown as part of public visits to the reserve.
In the meantime, the remains of a mosaic floor and a carved stone on which many signs of the cross were engraved were uncovered, indicating that the Banias had become a pilgrimage site.
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