Archaeology
News and features about archaeological finds linking stories from the Torah and Prophets, or other historical events to the State of Israel
The artifact dates back to 69 C.E., the fourth year of the Jewish revolt against Rome • Coin, found in the sewage system running beneath ancient Jerusalem, carries the inscription “For the Redemption of Zion” and a depiction of a chalice.
The sifting project, which has operated since 2004 in the Emek Tzurim National Park, aims to salvage religious and historical artifacts from the rubble, as well as to educate the public about the veracity of Jewish history on the Mount.
As Jews across Israel and around the world celebrated Lag B’Omer, Israeli authorities announced that they had found a symbol of the Shimon bar Kochba revolt against the Romans in the form of a small bronze coin.
“A discovery like this—ancient coins bearing the words “Freedom” and “Redemption” found right before the Jewish Festival of Freedom, Passover begins—is incredibly moving,” according to Eilat Mazar of the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
