Archaeologists from the University of Haifa uncovered a 2,000-year-old stash of extremely rare coins while excavating a site in Israel’s Jordan Valley, Ancient Origins reported.
Researchers found 160 coins at the site, a surprisingly large quantity for this sort of discovery, while excavating an area along the Nirhal Tirzah. The ancient route led to the Alexandrion Fortress thousands of years ago; an outpost erected during the Hasmonean period in the first century B.C.
The coins were discovered on grounds which once housed a weigh station where travelers would go to rest and procure additional supplies for their journey. Scientists speculate that the coins may have been left by a vendor who operated at the site.
University of Haifa
“[They were] found inside a collapse near a wall, so it was either hidden inside the wall or [kept] adjacent to the wall,” said lead archaeologist Shai Bar, adding that this is “one of the biggest hoards from this period ever found in Israel.”
Bar later told The Jerusalem Post that the discovery "is important because this space was active for a limited period of time…From the moment we have these coins, which date from the time of Alexander Jannaeus, with all the other finds there, we are given a very precise time capsule, something that does not always happen in archaeology."
In addition to the coins, the team found the weigh station itself to be in relatively good condition, considering its age. Within the structure, they found a reservoir which provided fresh water to an adjoining ritual bath, as well as evidence that the station had been a popular, heavily trafficked destination in its day.
“Finding this Hasmonean treasure during Hanukkah gave the excavation team, including students and volunteers, a unique connection to history and the holiday,” Bar reflected. “This discovery not only enriches our understanding of Hasmonean history, but also underscores the cultural heritage of this region.”
University of Haifa
