Tag Archive for archaeology

| March 2, 2016
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Tenth Roman Legion bathhouse and nearby winery found in Jerusalem

Ahead of construction on a new housing project, ancient finds were unearthed including a large winery from the Roman or Byzantine period and a bathhouse dating back around 1,600 years ago.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Ancient 1,600-year-old finds were recently unearthed during archaeological excavations on the Schneller Compound in Jerusalem, prior to the construction of residential buildings for the capital’s haredi population.

The winery – Photo: Guy Fitoussi, 

The excavations, financed by the Merom Yerushalayim Company and conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), focus on the site of the Schneller Orphanage, which operated in Jerusalem from 1860 until the Second World War. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| January 8, 2016
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3,400 yr-old citadel unearthed in Israel’s coastal town of Nahariya

 

New construction project breathes new life into 3,400 yr-old citadel by preserving parts of the discovery for display for residents and visitors.

By i24news

 

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced Tuesday that the remains of a 3,400 year old citadel that were recently uncovered in an archaeological excavation will be incorporated into a new apartment building in the northern coastal town of Nahariya.

An aerial photograph of the excavation. – Photo : GUY FITOUSSI, COURTESY OF THE ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY

The dig was carried out by the authority, working alongside members of youth groups and high school students.

The architect of the high-rise project worked with the Interior Ministry’s regional committee for planning and construction, to find a way to preserve part of the citadel for display for residents and visitors. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries | Tags: , , ,
| December 3, 2015
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1,300 yr-old olive press unearthed at Ancient Shiloh

 

Ancient Shiloh, the capital of Israel for 369 years & home of the Ark of the Covenant, was also the region’s main manufacturer of olive oil as seen by the large size of the press and its proximity to a similar one found in 2011.

By Efrat Forsher

 

A 1,300-year-old public olive press was unearthed recently at the Ancient Shiloh archaeological park, in the Binyamin region of Judea and Samaria. The olive press is proof that aside from being the capital of ancient Israel for 369 years and housing the Ark of the Covenant, Shiloh was also the region’s main manufacturer of olive oil. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| November 26, 2015
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8 yr-old Israeli ‘Indiana Jones’ honored after First Temple era archaeological discovery

 

For turning archaeological find over to Antiquities Authorities’ officials, Itai Halpern of Pardesiya was granted a certificate of honor after discovering the head of a statue from the First Temple period.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

An eight-year-old Israeli boy on a daytrip with his family in the Beit Shemesh area accidentally made an important archaeological discovery last week, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday.

Itay Halperin holding the head of a sculpture from the First Temple period discovered in Beit Shemesh‏. – Photo: ARIK HALPERIN

Itai Halpern of Pardesiya was granted a certificate of honor after discovering the head of a statue from the First Temple period and turning it in to Antiquities Authorities’ officials. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| November 17, 2015
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Newly Discovered Roman-era Mosaic Opened to the Public

 

Israel opens for public viewing a 1,700 yr-old mosaic floor recently discovered during the construction of a new visitor center in Lod.

By Ynet 

 

A 1,700-year-old mosaic floor uncovered in Lod was opened for public viewing for the first time on Monday. The mosaic was discovered during the building of a visitor center meant to display another mosaic that had been found in the same place 20 years ago. “At that time Lod was called Diospolis and was the district capital, until it was replaced by Ramla after the Muslim conquest. The building was used for a very long time,” Dr. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| November 12, 2015
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Mysterious ‘Stonehenge’ in Golan Heights Vexes Israeli Archaeologists

 

Weighing in at over 40,000 tons, the enigmatic concentric circles known as the “Wheel of Spirits” is made of thousands of basalt rocks that are some 5,000 year old. 
• “We have bits of information, but not the whole picture,” admits an Israeli antiquities expert.

Reuters and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Driving past it, one of the most mysterious structures in the Middle East is easy to miss. The prehistoric stone monument went unnoticed for centuries in a bare expanse of field on the Golan Heights.

Gilgal Refaim, Israel’s “Stonehenge”: Scholars generally agree that construction started as early as 3,500 BCE – Photo: Wikimedia Commons

After Israel captured the territory from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, archaeologists studying an aerial survey spotted a pattern of stone circles not visible from the ground. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , , ,
| November 4, 2015
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Beneath a once paved parking lot archaeologists uncover Greek King Antiochus’ fortress in Jerusalem

 

After a century of searching, archaeologists in Israel say they have found the remnants of the ancient Greek fortress used to fight the rebellion led by Judah Maccabee, that’s celebrated in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

BY Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Researchers have long debated the location of the Acra, built more than 2,000 years ago by Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes. Many asserted it stood in what is now the walled Old City, at spots like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or by the hilltop where the two Jewish temples once towered.

The site in Jerusalem where the remnants of Acra have been found – Photo: AFP

After a century of searching, archaeologists say they have found the remnants of an ancient Greek fortress once a center of power in Jerusalem and a stronghold used to fight the rebellion celebrated in the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Jewish News | Tags: , , , , ,
| August 31, 2015
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Unearthed Steps to the Temple Mount Baffle Archaeologists Digging in City of David

A unique stepped structure, maybe the Temple Era ‘Stone of Claims’, has been excavated on the subterranean street ascending from the Siloam Pool to the Temple Mount.

By Arutz Sheva staff

An intriguing find consisting of an impressive pyramid-shaped staircase constructed of large ashlar stones was uncovered in an archaeological excavation currently conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The excavation is located in the Jerusalem Walls National Park in the City of David, site of ancient Jerusalem, and is being carried out in cooperation with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the City of David Foundation.

Dr. Joe Uziel atop unique find.

Continue Reading »
Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: , , , , ,
| August 19, 2015
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Israel Antiquities Authority to Supply Artifacts For New Bible Museum in Washington

Washington DC’s new $400 million Bible Museum to open in 2017, will feature thousands of objects from Israel’s 2 million artifacts, telling the Biblical story, scientifically based, on archaeological material.

By The Associated Press 

 

The Museum of the Bible being built in Washington will feature ancient artifacts and treasures from the Holy Land under a new deal that ensures Israel’s leading archaeological organization will have an outpost in the US capital.

Photo: AP

An agreement between the museum and the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Tuesday will bring a selection of artifacts excavated in Israel for long-term display in a top-floor gallery at the new Bible museum. Continue Reading »

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: , , ,
| August 10, 2015
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Rare 2nd Temple-era ritual bath unearthed in Jerusalem

A Jewish ritual bath, walls with Hebrew script & an adjacent winepress dating back to the time of the Second Temple were discovered in Jerusalem.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Every construction project in Israel must be preceded by a thorough archaeological inspection to ensure nothing of great historical value is being built over. And that is precisely what archaeologists examining the location of a new Jerusalem preschool found.

Writing & images were daubed onto the walls using mud & soot, though some were carved.Photo courtesy: Shai Halevy/Israel Antiquities Authority

Writing & images were daubed onto the walls using mud & soot, though some were carved. – Photo courtesy: Shai Halevy/Israel Antiquities Authority

During the preliminary ground-breaking for the new preschool in Jerusalem’s Arnona neighborhood, officials uncovered the remains of a Jewish ritual bath (mikveh) and adjacent winepress dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| July 21, 2015
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Waiting 45 years for the technology Israel deciphers 1500 yr-old biblical scroll

view videoDiscovered in Ein Gedi back in 1970, an ancient Hebrew bible scroll dating to 500 CE, has finally been deciphered thanks to the collaboration of cutting-edge Israeli and American technologies.

By Eliran Aharon

 

Cutting-edge technology has for the first time allowed scholars to read the most ancient Hebrew scroll found since the Dead Sea Scrolls, Israeli and US experts said on Monday, AFP reported.

An Israel Antiquities Authority worker displays a scroll (L), found in 1970, along with other findings, that are yet to be analysed, at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem July 20, 2015. – Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The charred piece of parchment from the sixth century CE was found in the ashes of an ancient synagogue at Ein Gedi, on the shores of the Dead Sea, in 1970 but until now has been impossible to read. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Video's worth Viewing | Tags: , , , , ,
| July 1, 2015
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2nd Temple-era ritual bath found beneath Jerusalem living room

During home renovations, a family from Jerusalem discovered a 2,000 yr-old mikveh right underneath their floors, verifying that there was an earlier Jewish settlement at the site.

By Itay Blumenthal

 

Renovations in a Jerusalem home recently uncovered an ancient mikveh (ritual bath) dating from the Second Temple Period, believed to be over 2,000 years old.

The couple that lives in the home installed wooden doors leading to the mikveh and invited representatives of the Israel Antiquities Authority to document the discovery.

They were on Wednesday to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Authority for reporting the discovery.

The mikveh is considered relatively large, at 3.5 meters long, 2.4 meters wide and 1.8 meters deep. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| June 15, 2015
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Facebook closes ISIS page used to sell plundered ancient artifacts

Facebook removes Islamic State pages featuring artifacts plundered from Syrian archaeological sites, including scrolls written in Hebrew & Aramaic, and clay tablets.

By Eli Leon & news agencies

 

Facebook has taken down pages that may have been selling archaeological finds looted by the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Ancient Hebrew manuscript that Islamic State terrorists tried to sell on Facebook. – Photo: From Facebook

The militant group has reportedly been using the social media network to sell off the invaluable artifacts believed to have been plundered by Islamic State militants from Syrian archaeological sites.

After receiving reports about the illegal sales efforts, Facebook removed the pages featuring the stolen items, which included scrolls written in both Hebrew and Aramaic, clay tablets, and ancient coins and golden statues. Continue Reading »

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: , , , , ,
| June 11, 2015
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1,500 yr-old church unearthed near Israel’s main highway

Byzantine Empire period church discovered during road work aimed at linking Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

By i24news

 

A 1,500-year-old church was discovered during work to broaden Israel’s main highway, which links Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, archaeologists said Wednesday.

Ancient church discovered in Israel in June 2015 – Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority

The church stems from when the Byzantine Empire ruled over what is now Israel and the Palestinian territories between 324 and 638 after Christ. The Byzantine Empire, spreading Christianity, was the mostly Greek-speaking continuation of the eastern parts of the Roman Empire during late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Continue Reading »
Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 9, 2015
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WATCH: Israel’s Ancient Nabatean Village of Shivta

Aerial video shows a well-preserved Nabatean farming village, well off the beaten tourist track in the Negev, again shows the richness of Israel’s archeological history.

By Israel Today Staff

 

The following video offers stunning aerial footage of the ruins of Shivta, a Nabatean farming village situated along the portion of the ancient Spice Route that passes through Israel’s southern Negev region.

The outlines of the village, its houses, markets and large Byzantine-era church remain well preserved, and some of the community’s terrace farms have been recreated to give a more accurate look at desert life in that time.

Shivta lies far off the typical Holy Land pilgrimage route, and is just one more example of how saturated Israel is with tangible ancient history. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
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