A century after the first archaeological excavations at the site of ancient Shiloh in the Binyamin region, a new dig has unearthed a number of rare finds, including five intact jugs that date back some 2,000 years to the time of the Talmud.
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The jugs were in a row, underneath a floor, most likely to keep their contents cool. Their location is also likely what kept the vessels intact.
Dr. Reut Ben Arie, a resident of Shiloh, directed the excavation.
The Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, which operates the Shiloh antiquities site, said that the dig was attempting to determine the location of the ancient wall and the entrance to the city. Workers dug a trench on the edge of the southern tel (mound) and exposed layers from all the periods of history when the site was active, from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman Empire. The Canaanite wall itself was first uncovered by a group of Danish archaeologists 100 years ago.
The excavation also turned up a number of coins, a key apparently used to unlock a chest, and even wooden dice identical in shape to dice used today.
The discoveries were presented at the 12th Shiloh Conference to mark a century since the site was first excavated, along with other research.
Head of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Yisrael Gantz said, "We are privileged to expose finds that are proof of our ties to the Judea and Samaria region and this entire land. The discoveries here give meaning to our daily work to develop this part of the country. There is nothing more exciting than the palpable understanding of how we are continuing our forefathers' lives here. This is the eternal story of the Jewish people, and that story gives us strength.
"Thank you to the staff at the ancient Shiloh site, the archaeological officer in the IDF Civil Administration, and Dr. Scott Stripling for his work to help the site succeed," Gantz said.
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