Roman-era coins and jewelry found near Kiryat Gat (photo credit: courtesy IAA)
A “rich and extraordinary” hoard of gold jewelry and gold and silver coins dating from the Roman period was discovered in the Kiryat Gat region, the Israel Antiquities Authority reported on Tuesday.
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The treasure trove includes a gold ring with a precious stone in the image of a winged goddess, an earring in the shape of a flower, two sticks of silver and around 140 coins. The coins date from the time of the Roman emperors Nero, Nerva and Traja, from 54-117 CE.
The cache was discovered wrapped in frayed cloth fabric and buried in the courtyard of a recently excavated Roman-era building. “This is probably an emergency cache that was concealed at a time of impending danger by a wealthy woman, who wrapped her jewelry and money in a cloth and hid them deep in the ground prior to or during the Bar Kochba revolt,” said archaeologist Sa’ar Ganor of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
During the famous Jewish rebellion of 132-135 CE, “Jews under Roman rule would re-strike coins of the emperor Trajan with symbols of the revolt. This hoard includes silver and gold coins of different denominations, most of which date to the reign of the emperor Trajan,” Ganor added.
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Close up of the Roman-era ring found near Kiryat Gat (photo credit: courtesy IAA)Close up of the Roman-era earring found near Kiryat Gat (photo credit: courtesy IAA)
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