Ayayu Belete, a City of David worker who discovered the pendant, described the moment of finding it. "One day while I was digging inside an ancient structure, I suddenly saw something different, gray, among the stones," Belete recounted, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority. "I picked up the object out and saw that it was a pendant with a menorah on it. I immediately showed the find to Esther Rakow-Mellet, the area director, and she said it was an especially rare find. I was deeply moved and excited!"

Historical records indicate Jews faced prohibitions against entering Jerusalem during Byzantine rule, complicating the interpretation of menorah-decorated artifacts found in the city. Researchers question whether such finds represent random occurrences or belonged to Jews who came to Jerusalem for commerce, administrative purposes, or clandestine pilgrimages under unofficial circumstances, according to the report.

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The ship, which carried approximately 11 million gold and silver coins, was estimated by Sky News to be worth about $20 billion and earned the nickname "the Holy Grail of shipwrecks."

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"As part of extended research documenting architectural items from villages in the Golan together with Prof. Haim Ben-David and Dr. Benny Arubas, we documented over 150 items in the Yahudiya Nature Reserve, most of them in secondary use in the abandoned Syrian village. But the synagogue's location wasn't known until now," says Dr. Mechael Osband from the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa and senior lecturer in the Department of Land of Israel Studies at Kinneret College.

"We identified an unusual concentration of items and column segments placed on a path in the abandoned modern village, and there we decided to conduct an examination. Already at the beginning of the excavation, dozens of architectural items were revealed, and later, to our surprise, the southern wall of the building was also revealed with three openings facing toward Jerusalem," he added.

Although hundreds of architectural items from the Byzantine period were previously documented in the Yahudiya Reserve area, the location of the synagogue remained a mystery. In previous archaeological surveys, more than 150 items were collected and documented, including lintels, column segments, and decorated basalt stones, most of which were reused in secondary applications within the abandoned village within the reserve.

Now, following a focused excavation, the building itself has been revealed for the first time: two rows of stones from the building's southern wall built from hewn stones with three openings. Next to them, two lintels were discovered close to their original location, opposite the openings, one of them decorated.

Additionally, many decorated items were discovered outside the southern wall and inside the building – some in stone collapses and earth fill, and some in secondary use from later periods. In past surveys conducted at the site, many items of monumental and public construction were discovered, including menorah decorations. The Golan region, where the synagogue is located, was formerly a Jewish area during the Roman and Byzantine periods – from the first century BCE until the 7th-8th centuries CE. The building's outline, approximately 13 meters wide and about 17 meters long, indicates that it was built in the basilica style – a rectangular building with two rows of columns and benches built along the walls – an architectural form characteristic of ancient synagogues in the Land of Israel.

According to Dr. Osband, the discovery of the southern wall, which is over 13 meters long and has openings facing toward Jerusalem, combined with items found and known from other synagogues previously revealed – such as Holy Ark shelf fragments and more – constitutes clear evidence of the building's designation as a synagogue.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority notes that the excavation is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Haifa, with assistance from the Hecht Foundation, the Department of Land of Israel Studies at Kinneret Academic College, and assistance from reserve manager Nael Daabous and the staff working at the Yahudiya Reserve.

According to Dr. Dror Ben-Yosef, archaeologist from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority: "The discovery of the ancient synagogue at Yahudiya testifies more than anything to Jewish settlement in the Golan already 1,500 years ago, when the Jewish community flourished in the Golan. Besides this synagogue, about 25 other ancient synagogues have been discovered in the Golan, testifying to the strong Jewish presence in the Golan. These synagogues served not only as places of prayer but also as centers of learning and the core of Jewish identity. The Sages frequented these buildings and disseminated Jewish knowledge to all community members, from children to the elderly. We intend to complete the excavation of the magnificent synagogue at Yahudiya in the future and make it accessible to all reserve visitors."

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The treasure consisted of 97 pure gold coins and dozens of gold earring fragments, each embedded with pearls, semi-precious stones, and glass.

"This is one of the most significant Byzantine-period treasures discovered on land in Israel, unique for its combination of jewelry and gold coins from different emperors' reigns. Additionally, fabric remnants were found on some coins – traces of the cloth bag in which the treasure was hidden," said Dr. Michael Eisenberg from the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa, co-director of the excavation expedition.

Among the coins, researchers discovered a particularly rare item: a tremissis likely minted in Cyprus in late 610 by Emperor Heraclius the Elder and his son during their rebellion against Emperor Phocas. This is only the second coin of its type ever found in Israel. "This is a rare find that adds an important layer to understanding the political and economic history of the period," explained Dr. Danny Syon, numismatist of the excavation expedition.

The treasure was discovered accidentally in late July 2025. Eddie Lipsman, a metal detector operator accompanying the expedition, passed near a large stone when his device began signaling the presence of metal. When the stone fell between two walls, the signal intensified, and within moments, gold coins began emerging one after another from the archaeological section. "The device went crazy, I couldn't believe it – gold coins started appearing one after another," Lipsman recounted. Researchers delayed announcing the discovery to ensure no additional finds remained in the area and to complete the initial research phase.

The treasure includes 97 gold coins and delicate jewelry. Some coins are full-value solidus, but halves (semissis) and thirds (tremissis) were also found. They date from Emperor Justinus I (518-527 CE) to the early reign of Emperor Heraclius (610-613 CE). "Gold is a noble metal, and finding coins and jewelry approximately 1,400 years old that look brand new is a rare experience," said Dr. Eisenberg. Dr. Arleta Kowalewska added, "The earrings are the biggest surprise for me. Delicate craftsmanship combining semi-precious stones and pearls – I hope contemporary jewelers will recreate this beauty."

The ancient city of Susita, overlooking the Sea of Galilee from the east, was an important Christian center during the Byzantine period, serving as a bishop's seat with at least seven active churches. The site has been excavated for 26 years by the University of Haifa's excavation expedition led by Dr. Eisenberg and Dr. Kowalewska. This marks the first discovery of a gold treasure of this scale in the city. In recent years, researchers have uncovered remains linked to the Sasanian conquest, including the burning of the Martyr Theodorus Church, leading to speculation that local Jews may have participated in the rebellion alongside the Sasanian army against Byzantine rule.

Dr. Dror Ben-Yosef, archaeologist and heritage supervisor for the Northern District of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, stated: "Susita National Park is a mountain of surprises spanning 1,000 years of history. Excavating the site has shed new light on both the pagan and Christian worlds. Susita's story teaches us about the cultural and religious currents and subcurrents present in the land simultaneously, as well as about the diversity of its residents. To understand the complexity of the area approximately 1,400 years ago, one needs only to climb Mount Susita and look west toward Tiberias, the Jewish city. While a wealthy Christian community developed in Susita around seven churches, Tiberias residents maintained a Jewish lifestyle centered on synagogues."

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Archaeological excavations began Monday morning at the ancient Samaria National Park (Sebastia), the only surviving remnant of the ancient Kingdom of Israel and location of the biblical Israelite kings' palace. The excavations mark the beginning of efforts to preserve the site and transform it into a national park accessible to visitors, following a government decision approved two years ago led by the Ministries of Heritage, Environmental Protection, and Tourism.

The excavations at the site are being led by Uzi Greenfeld, the Samaria regional archaeologist representing the archaeology department and the Civil Administration. Greenfeld explained that this is one of Israel's most significant archaeological sites, which functioned as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel during biblical times and appears frequently in biblical texts.

Archaeological work was previously conducted at the site more than a century ago by archaeologists from Harvard University. Those excavations uncovered the western wing of the fortress of the kings of Israel from the era of Omri and Jehu, along with unprecedented artifacts that are now displayed at the Israel Museum.

A subsequent excavation was conducted at the site in 1931, involving researchers from five institutions, including Harvard University and Hebrew University. During that expedition, archaeologists discovered one of the largest theaters in the region, constructed by Herod during the Second Temple period. The site also contains locations sacred to Christianity, including the tomb of John the Baptist.

The current excavation work, which begins at the ancient city gate, is expected to expand in the coming months toward the location of the ancient Israelite royal palace.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, welcomed the start of the excavations, "This is a historic day. No people has a connection to their homeland stronger than the people of Israel to the Land of Israel. When digging in ancient Samaria, you are touching the Bible with your hands. Living in Samaria is not just a right, it's also a duty to protect the most sacred biblical sites – the cradle of the Jewish people's homeland, the cradle of human civilization. Against the barbarism of the Palestinian Authority, we are saving the sacred places and will not rest until ancient Samaria fulfills its destiny, and the national park operates fully as a site welcoming visitors."

Tourism Minister Haim Katz said, "I welcome the beginning of work at Sebastia, following a dedicated government decision that we promoted with a budget of approximately 32 million shekels ($9 million) to rehabilitate the historic site. The Tourism Ministry's policy is to nurture the history of the Jewish people rooted in Judea and Samaria, and to realize the tourism potential in the land of the Bible."

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said, "Sebastia is one of the most important sites in our national and historical heritage. The establishment of the Samaria National Park at the site represents a significant step in preserving the Jewish and cultural heritage of the Land of Israel. The works are being implemented as part of the government's decision with a total budget of 32 million shekels ($9 million). We intend to invest considerable resources to uncover the historical treasures buried here and make them accessible to the general public. Our goal is to breathe new life into the site and transform it into a destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, which will strengthen the connection between the people and their heritage and land."

Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman said, "Today, historical justice is finally taking place. We have begun excavations at the Sebastia site – the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Israel and a beating heart of Jewish history. For years, they tried to erase our connection to the place, deny our identity, blur the obvious. But there is no Palestinian people and therefore no Palestinian heritage sites. There is a Jewish people, there is Jewish history, and we have a mission to preserve it, expose it, and pass it on to future generations. We will continue to invest resources here through the Nature and Parks Authority – and ensure that Sebastia is not forgotten, but shines anew."

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Approximately 4,000 years ago, a Mesopotamian man named Nanni was so disappointed with the copper he received from a merchant named Ea-nasir that he expressed his dissatisfaction through an official complaint, engraving his grievances on a clay tablet. Today, this Bronze Age clay tablet is considered the oldest known customer complaint, and Nanni's complaint is the oldest and harshest among these records.

The history of writing is inextricably intertwined with the history of commerce, as evidenced by Nanni's formal complaint. Some of the oldest surviving written documents from ancient Mesopotamia are inventory records and accounting books, reflecting the meticulous record-keeping practices of merchants like Ea-nasir.

Since copper is the primary material in the alloy that gave the Bronze Age its name, commercial transactions related to this resource sometimes heated up, creating tensions between merchants. In ancient Mesopotamia, customers like Nanni struggled to express dissatisfaction with their orders, as there was no customer service line and no emotionless AI bot to listen to complaints.

The complaint text was translated from the Akkadian language by Assyriologist Adolf Leo Oppenheim and included in the book "Letters from Mesopotamia," published in 1967. Nanni's only option to express his dissatisfaction was to engrave his complaint on a clay tablet and send it to the seller, Ea-nasir, via messenger.

Nanni's complaint, written on a small clay tablet measuring 11.6 by 5 centimeters (4.6 by 2 inches), was clear and direct. He wrote, "The copper ingots are of poor quality. You set them before my messenger and said, 'If you want them, take them; if you don't want them, go to hell.'" The complaint covers both sides of the tablet.

It appears that Nanni had previously given money in advance to Ea-nasir for an agreed amount of copper but later realized this wasn't a wise move. Nanni wrote further, "Is there anyone among the merchants who trade with Tilmun who has treated me in such a way? Only you treat my messenger with contempt!" He continued, "I sent messengers, lords like ourselves, to collect the bag with my money deposited with you, but you treated me with contempt by sending them back to me empty-handed several times."

During 20th century excavations in the city of Ur in modern Iraq, Nanni's clay tablet was found alongside many others addressed to Ea-nasir, including numerous complaint documents discovered in Ea-nasir's house.

"Tilmun was an important source or trading point that supplied hundreds of kilograms of copper to southern Mesopotamia in the third millennium BCE," according to the records. By 1750 BCE, when Nanni wrote his complaint letter, Tilmun copper was already in decline, and products from the Magan region began to take its place.

If Ea-nasir was indeed a malicious merchant, perhaps the reason was the dwindling supply chain, likely due to his supplier's diminishing inventory. Nanni ended his letter with the words, "Now it's up to you to return my money in full. Know this, from now on, I will not accept any copper from you that is not of good quality here. From now on, I will select the ingots one by one in my yard."

Despite being a poor copper merchant, Ea-nasir was a meticulous record keeper and seems to have angered more than a handful of his customers.

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The recent revelation that the CIA once searched for the Ark of the Covenant raises an intriguing question: Why isn't Israel actively searching for Temple artifacts like the Menorah, the Table of Showbread, and especially the Ark of the Covenant?

According to recently published CIA documents from 2000, the agency conducted an experiment in 1988 where a medium was given coordinates of an undisclosed item. The medium claimed the location housed the Ark of the Covenant, protected by supernatural forces.

This revelation, published in the Daily Mail, resembles the plot of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. However, it raises serious questions about why these invaluable Jewish artifacts have never become targets for Israeli archaeological missions.

Why hasn't Israel conducted significant archaeological operations around Jerusalem to verify legends about these items being hidden before the destruction of the First Temple? Additionally, why hasn't Israel approached the Vatican to determine if some Second Temple artifacts brought to Rome by Titus might be stored in their vaults?

Several prominent rabbis offered their perspectives:

Rabbi Dr. Ronen Lubitch, rabbi of Nir Etzion and president of the Torah and Work Movement, believes Israel has "enough conflicts and fronts in the Middle East" without opening another with the Vatican, which represents over a billion believers worldwide.

Rabbi David Stav, rabbi of Shoham and chairman of Tzohar, noted that throughout Jewish history, many have attempted to find Temple artifacts, but "there was never such a halachic obligation" to push the state toward such an initiative.

Rabbi Chaim Navon points out that while these publications are dubious, if there were genuine information suggesting the location of these artifacts, "it would obviously be incumbent on the state to lead these searches."

The article concludes that these ancient Temple artifacts will reappear when the Jewish people advance spiritually, rather than through archaeological expeditions.

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Remains of a woman buried while bound in 30 iron rings were discovered in an ancient Byzantine monastery near Jerusalem. This is the first archaeological evidence in the world of extreme asceticism among female nuns – a phenomenon previously known only from historical writings.

Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Weizmann Institute of Science revealed the rare finding using innovative technology that enables identification of the biological sex of the buried person through analysis of proteins from tooth enamel. The examination was necessary due to the poor condition of the skeleton and revealed that the bound monk was actually a woman.

"The woman was discovered in an individual grave, dedicated to her beneath the church platform as a sign of honor," explain researchers Zubair Adawi, Kfir Arbiv, and Dr. Yossi Nagar from the Israel Antiquities Authority. "She was bound with 12 to 14 rings around her arms or hands, four rings around her neck, and at least 10 rings around her legs. Iron plates or discs on her abdomen, which were connected to the rings, gave her skeleton the appearance of armor."

The site where the nun was discovered is located about three kilometers northwest of the Old City of Jerusalem and has been identified as a Byzantine monastery that operated between the 5th and 7th centuries CE.

It is important to emphasize that carrying the heavy iron rings was not a method of torture or punishment imposed on monks and nuns, but was done voluntarily. Historical sources indicate that this was one of the extraordinary ways in which monks – and apparently nuns as well – practiced self-mortification. The prevailing concept at that time was that the more a person abstained from pleasures, and even tortured the body, the more the soul would rise to lofty spiritual heights.

According to excavation directors Adawi and Arbiv, "The nun is an expression of a phenomenon that was common among Byzantine monks in ancient times, which was individual in nature and accompanied by excessive extremism." They detail that monks forced self-destruction and self-harm on their bodies through various methods: "Among the described torture methods were prolonged fasting, wrapping iron chains and various accessories around the body or tying the body to rocks, loading heavy weights, tying the body and putting it in a device to force it to stand and prevent it from sleeping, self-imprisonment, and confinement to a narrow and isolated living space."

The researchers note that the new discovery strengthens the understanding that extreme asceticism began in northern Syria and Anatolia, expanded to Asia Minor, and reached Western Europe while simultaneously heading south – to Jerusalem and Egypt.

Dr. Amit Ram, Jerusalem region archaeologist at the Israel Antiquities Authority, emphasizes the importance of the discovery in its historical and gender context: "Ascetic nuns are a fascinating phenomenon. These women lived and operated in a rigid patriarchal male environment that restricted their movements. In order to take part in the noble religious ideals of monastic life and asceticism of that time, which were mostly the domain of men only, they were forced – according to traditions and legends – to disguise themselves as men, and thus lived until their death."

From historical writings, many women are known to have arrived in Jerusalem, settled there and in its surroundings, and some even established monasteries there. It is possible that the "ring nun" who was discovered was a nun who came to Jerusalem from Syria after being exposed to the phenomenon there, or she was a local nun who adopted the method.

Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, concludes: "This is a fascinating discovery, which will require further research by Israel Antiquities Authority researchers to better understand the role of women in religious and monastic life during that period."

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"This is a mystery that has surrounded archaeological research in Israel for 100 years," says Professor Ran Barkai. "The first prehistoric cave was excavated in the country in 1925, but frustratingly, not a single cave painting has been found from then until today. In other regions of the world, like Spain and France, hundreds of breathtakingly beautiful cave paintings have been found, but in this country – nothing."

According to Barkai, the key lies in understanding the purpose of cave paintings. These artworks were created as part of shamanic rituals, performed deep within caves to communicate with supernatural entities about the crisis of disappearing megafauna. In Europe, shortly after modern humans arrived, they witnessed the extinction of crucial prey animals like woolly mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses. This crisis spawned the creation of cave art as a ritualistic response.

However, the situation in the Levant was different. By the time Homo sapiens arrived in what is now Israel, the large animals had already been hunted to extinction by earlier human species. Without these megafauna, the inhabitants adapted to hunting smaller, faster game. This absence of large animals meant there was no extinction crisis to spark the creation of cave paintings.

"In Israel, we don't find such paintings because the large animals went extinct in our region before Homo sapiens arrived here," Barkai explains. "When Homo sapiens arrives in Israel, there are no more elephants and rhinoceroses here, and they are forced to hunt smaller and faster animals. This hypothesis strengthens our general thesis that ancient humans were aware of the role they themselves played in the extinction of their food sources."

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An extraordinary archaeological discovery has come to light in Jerusalem: archaeologists have unearthed a rare clay lamp from the late Roman period, adorned with distinct Jewish Temple symbols, during Israel Antiquities Authority excavations near the Mount of Olives. Dating back approximately 1,700 years, the lamp has been preserved in remarkable condition, with visible soot marks on its spout confirming its use as a light source.

Michael Tchernin, who directed the excavation for the Israel Antiquities Authority, emphasizes the exceptional nature of this discovery, particularly given the scarcity of evidence for Jewish settlement in Jerusalem and its vicinity during this period – a direct result of the Jewish expulsion from the city following the suppression of the Bar Kokhba revolt in 135 CE.

The distinctive clay lamp is classified as a "Beit Natif lamp," a style named for a manufacturing site discovered in the vicinity of Beit Shemesh. Archaeologist Benjamin Storchan explains that the lamp's decorative elements – featuring a seven-branched menorah, an incense shovel, and a lulav – carry deep significance, reflecting the intricate connection between everyday life and religious observance among Jerusalem's ancient inhabitants.

Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu emphasized how this unique artifact creates a tangible link between past and present, embodying the enduring connection between the Jewish people, their heritage, and the Temple's legacy. The public will have their first opportunity to view this extraordinary find during the Hanukkah festival at a special exhibition hosted at the National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel.

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