End Of Days News
In summer excavations at the foot of the Temple Mount, Hebrew
University of Jerusalem archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar made a stunning discovery: two bundles of treasure containing thirty-six
gold coins, gold and silver jewelry, and a gold
medallion with the menorah (Temple candelabrum) symbol etched into it.
Also etched into the 10-cm medallion are a shofar (ram’s horn) and the
image of a Torah scroll.
The medallion may be the oldest Torah ornament ever found in archaeological digs.
A third-generation
archaeologist working at the Hebrew University’s Institute of
Archaeology, Dr. Mazar directs excavations on the City of David’s summit
and at the Temple Mount’s southern wall. Calling the find “a
breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime discovery,” Dr. Mazar said: “We have
been making significant finds from the First Temple Period in this area,
a much earlier time in Jerusalem’s history, so discovering a golden
seven-branched Menorah from the seventh century CE at the foot of the
Temple Mount was a complete surprise.”
The discovery was unearthed
just five days into Mazar’s latest phase of the Ophel excavations, and
can be dated to the late Byzantine period (early seventh century CE).
The gold treasure was discovered in a ruined Byzantine public structure a mere 50 meters from the Temple Mount’s southern wall.
The menorah, a candelabrum
with seven branches that was used in the Temple, is now the national
symbol of the state of Israel and reflects the historical presence of
Jews in the area. The position of the items as they were discovered
indicates that one bundle was carefully hidden underground while the
second bundle was apparently abandoned in haste and scattered across the
floor.
Given the date
of the items and the manner in which they were found, Mazar estimates
they were abandoned in the context of the Persian conquest of Jerusalem
in 614 CE. After the Persians conquered Jerusalem, many Jews returned to
the city and formed the majority of its population, hoping for
political and religious freedom. But as Persian power waned, instead of
forming an alliance with the Jews, the Persians sought the support of
Christians and ultimately allowed them to expel the Jews from Jerusalem.
