Israeli archeologists and conservationists working in Jerusalem's Old City have found a rare silver coin, believed to have been used during the pilgrim festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot to pay the Temple tax, the Tower of David Museum announced on Monday.
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The ancient artifact known as the Tyre coin, or the Tyrian shekel, was first unearthed in the 1980s, subsequently lost, and recently found again during restoration and conservation work carried out by the museum at the 2000-year-old citadel.
The Tyrian shekel was produced from 125 BCE-70 CE, when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple.
Although mentions of the Tyrian shekel are frequently found in ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Latin texts, only few of these coins have been found.
One side of the coin is impressed with an image representing the god of the Phoenician city Tyre, while the other bears the imprint of an eagle.
The museum plans to display the coin as part of its new permanent exhibition, to be unveiled next year.
"At this holiday time, we are grateful for this unique opportunity to physically preserve the walls and towers of this ancient site – that stood during the time of the Second Temple thousands of years ago, helping to preserve and conserve the site so that it continues to be a beacon in Jerusalem for future generations to come," said Eilat Lieber, director and chief curator of the Tower of David Museum, quoted by the Times of Israel.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
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