Girl finds 1,500-year-old coin at Talmud-era Jewish village in northern Israel

Young girl picks up the ancient bronze coin during a scavenger hunt game at ancient community of Korazim, hands it to park officials

By Michael Bachner

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10 August 2021, 4:58 pm

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Michael Bachner is a news editor at The Times of Israel

The Yitzchaki family with a 1,500-year-old coin they found at the Korazim archaeological site in northern Israel, August 10, 2021. (Dekel Segev/Israel Nature and Parks Authority)

An Israeli girl found a 1,500-year-old bronze coin at the site of an ancient Jewish village near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel on Tuesday, the Nature and Parks Authority said.

The Yitzchaki family from the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha visited the Korazim archaeological park and played a scavenger hunt game involving the unique building style of the Talmud-era village, the parks authority said.

During the game, the girl found the ancient coin on the ground. She handed it to park staff.

“This is an ancient bronze coin that, according to initial estimates, dates to the Talmudic period between the 4th and fifth centuries CE,” said the archaeological park manager, Dekel Segev. “This was the peak period of the Jewish village in Korazim.”

Segev praised the girl for immediately handing over the coin to the park authorities.

“The girl and her family showed good citizenship and handed us the coin since it is a national treasure,” he said. “The coin will be passed on to the Israel Antiquities Authority for further research and preservation.”

A 1,500-year-old coin found at the Korazim archaeological site in northern Israel, August 10, 2021. (Dekel Segev/Israel Nature and Parks Authority)

The Korazim site, which overlooks the Sea of Galilee, includes the remains of a synagogue. It also attracts Christian pilgrims since the name of the place is mentioned in the New Testament.

Visitors to the site can tour the grounds as well as participate in archaeological activities in the ancient town, which is a popular attraction for families with young children.