The words "Holy Jerusalem" in ancient Hebrew script were found on a rare silver half-shekel coin from the first year of the Great Revolt against the Romans, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed Tuesday.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The 2,000-year-old half-shekel coin, made of silver, from the days of the first revolt of the Jews against the Romans, was discovered in the Ein Gedi area of the Judean Desert. The coin, dated 66/67 CE, was discovered during the sixth year of a Judean Desert cave survey operation that the Israel Antiquities Authority is managing in cooperation with the Ministry of Heritage and an archaeology staff officer at the Civil Administration, aimed at reaching the archaeologists' treasures before the antiquities thieves.
Video: Al-Jazeera report denies Jewish connection to Temple Mount / Al-Jazeera
Recently, as part of the survey, examining every cave and crevice, the IAA inspectors reached a section of a cliff in one of the streams of the Ein Gedi area, when they noticed a coin made of silver sticking out of the ground at the entrance to one of the caves. One hypothesis is that the coin fell from a pocket of a rebel who went down to the desert during the rebellion – perhaps on route to nearby Ein Gedi. This could explain how the coin came from Jerusalem to the desert. The words "Holy Jerusalem" is inscribed in ancient Hebrew script on one side of the coin.
Yaniv David Levy, a researcher in the coin branch of the Antiquities Authority said, "You can see an inscription written in unvowelized Hebrew spelling on this coin from the first year of the rebellion. This may be proof of the process of formulating inscriptions when in later years of the rebellion, the inscription 'Holy Jerusalem' is written in plene spelling. Three pomegranates are displayed in the center of the coin, a familiar symbol on the Israeli pound, used by the State of Israel until 1980."
A goblet appears on the other side and above it the Hebrew letter Alef is inscribed, indicating the first year of the outbreak of the rebellion, as well as the inscription "Hatzi Shekel" [half shekel], indicating the value of the coin. The goblet was a symbol typical of the coins used by the Jewish population in the late Second Temple period. These coins were minted in values of "shekel" and "half shekel" during the first rebellion against the Romans, which took place here in the Land of Israel, from 66 to 70 CE. This rebellion ended in the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Interestingly, in accordance with the commandment "Thou shalt not make for thee a graven image" in the Ten Commandments, the Jews engraved symbols taken from the world of plants on their coins, as well as themes inspired by religious objects of worship and sacredness. This, while the pagan population used things from everyday life on the coins, such as animals, and the faces of their emperors.
As part of an act of defiance and the creation of an internal rebellion economy, the Jewish rebels minted their own silver and bronze coins, engraved with Jewish motifs and symbols. It is assumed that the coins were minted in Jerusalem – and possibly even in the temple complex itself. With these coins, the rebels chose to use the ancient Hebrew script that was common hundreds of years earlier – during the time of the First Temple – and not the Greek script, which was used in the days of the Second Temple.
"Coins from the first year of the revolt, such as this coin that was discovered in the Judean Desert, are rare," added Levy. "During the time of the Second Temple, pilgrims used to raise a tax of half a shekel to the Temple. The accepted currency for paying this tax for almost 2,000 years was the Tyrian_shekel. When the revolt broke out, the rebels issued, as mentioned, these replacement coins which bore the inscriptions 'Israel shekel,' 'half shekel,' and a quarter shekel. It seems that the worship of the Temple continued even during the rebellion, and these coins were also used by the rebels for this purpose."
Amir Ganor, director of the Theft Prevention Unit at the IAA, said: "Finding a silver half-shekel coin from the first year in an organized archaeological project is a rare event in Israel, in general, and in the Judean Desert, in particular. The current discovery shows how important it is to survey the entire area of the Judean Desert systematically and professionally. Every successful item discovered in the survey adds more information about the history of our nation and country. If the survey had not been carried out, the coin might have fallen into the hands of antiquities thieves and sold in the antiquities market to the highest bidder. During the six years of this operation, we have documented over 800 caves and discovered thousands of valuable and important finds."
Minister of Heritage Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu, said: "The exciting discovery brings further evidence of the deep and indisputable ties between the Jewish people and Jerusalem and the Land of Israel." The rare coin that was used, according to researchers, in the Second Temple period, goes back about 2,000 years and the inscription 'Holy Jerusalem' is engraved on it. The amazing find is another strong connection to our people's roots in the Land of Israel."
Eli Escusido, director of the IAA added: "The coin is a direct and touching evidence of the Jewish rebellion against the Romans – a turbulent period in the life of our people from 2,000 years ago, during which extremism and discord divided the people and led to destruction. We have returned here after 2,000 years of yearning, and the city of Jerusalem is back to being our capital, but there is nothing new under the sun – the disputes have not ended. Finding this coin reminds us all of our past, and why we must strive for agreement."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
