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antiquities theft

A rare 2,000-year-old coin bearing the earliest known depiction of the Temple’s menorah was returned to the State of Israel on May 12, 2026, after a joint investigation by the US authorities and the Israel Antiquities Authority. (Eitan Klein/Israel Antiquities Authority)
May 14, 2026, 4:43 pm
2,000-year-old coin with earliest menorah image returned to Israel after seized in US
Joint operation also sees return of 2,500-year-old silver coin, one of two known examples in the world, as officials stress importance of international cooperation to combat looting
By Rossella Tercatin
Ilan Hadad from the Israel Antiquities Authority holds a silver shekel coin seized during an inspection at the Hizma Checkpoint north of Jerusalem in the West Bank on February 20, 2026. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
March 23, 2026, 3:43 pm
Ancient coins from Hasmonean kingdoms, Jewish revolts seized after suspected smuggling
Police say they found the artifacts last month as they inspected a vehicle belonging to a Palestinian doctor as he crossed the Hizma checkpoint north of Jerusalem into Israel
By Rossella Tercatin
Suspects caught at looting antiquities at Horvat Hadarim in northern Israel in March 2026. (Border Police Spokesperson)
March 17, 2026, 4:47 pm
Police detain suspected antiquities thieves before sheltering with them under rocket fire
Inspectors from the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit say looters are exploiting the wartime security situation to plunder historical treasures
By Rossella Tercatin
Eitan Klein, Deputy Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority Theft Prevention Unit, with dozens of stone vessel fragments found in a roughly 2000-year-old production site on the eastern slope of Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem, in a discovery announced on February 16, 2026. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
February 16, 2026, 2:20 pm
Tailing looters, archaeologists find 2,000-year-old stone vessel factory in Jerusalem
Cups, bowls and other ritually pure items are thought to have been fashioned out of soft limestone at Mount Scopus site along pilgrimage road in waning days of Second Temple
By Rossella Tercatin
An image distributed by the Prime Minister's Office and apparently manipulated by Sara Netanyahu, showing her, center, and Benjamin Netanyahu at the Shul of Bal Harbour, Florida, on December 31, 2025. (Amos Ben-Gershom / GPO / Sara Netanyahu)
January 5, 2026, 2:14 pm
Daily Briefing Jan. 5: Day 822 – Media decry digitally altered official photos of PM’s wife
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel discusses problem with Sara Netanyahu photos; archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin digs into bill on control of antiquities in the West Bank
By Jessica Steinberg, Ariela Karmel and Rossella Tercatin
Archaeologist and Egypt's former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass holds a press conference in the Saqqara necropolis, where a gold-laced mummy and four tombs including of an ancient king's "secret keeper" were discovered, south of Cairo on January 26, 2023. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)
October 6, 2025, 11:21 pm
Ancient limestone tablet disappears from tomb in Egypt’s Saqqara necropolis
Authorities investigating ‘disappearance’ of item from Khenti Ka’s tomb, a month after priceless golden bracelet was sold and melted down after being stolen from Cairo museum
By AFP
Tourists visit the Egyptian museum in Cairo, Egypt, November 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
September 21, 2025, 6:24 pm
Egyptians outraged after pharaoh’s bracelet stolen from museum, melted for gold
3,000-year-old bangle belonging to Pharaoh Amenemope was taken from restoration lab of Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which had no security cameras, sold to gold worker for some $4,000
By Samy Magdy
Looted artifacts seized at the house of a Dimona resident suspected of illegal antiquities trafficking on April 21, 2025. (Yoli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities Authority)
April 21, 2025, 6:32 pm
Hundreds of artifacts, some nearly 2,800 years old, seized from suspected looter
In search of suspect’s home in Dimona, police also find metal detectors, guns and ammunition, and NIS 150,000 in cash
By Rossella Tercatin
A volunteer from the Border Police with a suspect apprehended while attempting to loot the Horbat Binit site in the lower Galilee, in an image released on December 23, 2024. (courtesy Israel Antiquities Authority)
December 23, 2024, 3:09 pm
Cops put squeeze on suspected looters at ancient olive oil complex
Four suspects, already under investigation, nabbed while attempting to loot artifacts from remote Galilee site linked to Hasmoneans
By Gavriel Fiske
Illustrative: People walk along a street market at Eminonu commercial area in Istanbul, Turkey, August 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
September 14, 2023, 2:38 pm
Turkey frees Israeli held over ornamental bell it claimed was artifact
Lawyer for Acre resident says he’s heading back to Israel after being held for over a month, won’t be allowed back in Turkey
By ToI Staff
Archaeologists carefully remove the swords from the entrance of the cave where they were discovered in the Judean desert. (Emil Aladjem/IAA)
September 7, 2023, 2:10 am
Crack unit of rock-climbing archaeologists claims success in curbing antiquities theft
Six years into wide-scale Judean Desert cave survey operation, few Dead Sea Scrolls fragments are found. But the Land of Israel’s historical picture is ever more in focus, says IAA
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Dozens of ancient bricks manufactured by the 10th Roman Legion discovered by police in the trunk of a car in Beit Hanina, Jerusalem, May 2023. (Israel Antiquities Authority)
June 1, 2023, 11:09 am
Antiquities thief nabbed with ancient floor tiles used by destroyers of 2nd Temple
Bricks found in the trunk of a car in East Jerusalem apparently came from a bathhouse used by notorious Tenth Roman Legion some 2,000 years ago, possibly in Hebron area
By ToI Staff
Inspectors for the Israel Antiquities Authority Theft Prevention Unit with three ossuaries recovered from a burial cave in northern Israel that was nearly destroyed by construction. (courtesy Yoli Schwartz/IAA)
May 23, 2023, 2:58 pm
Family building a house in northern Israel destroys 1,800-year-old burial cave
Inspectors raid construction site where bulldozers flattened cave, find ossuaries; owner to be indicted for failing to report antiquity discovery
By Melanie Lidman
Philanthropist Shelby White poses for a picture on the roughly 1,700-year-old Lod mosaic, ahead of the inauguration of a new visitors center she helped fund to display the prized piece in the Israeli city of Lod, June 27, 2022. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)
February 18, 2023, 1:32 am
New York antiquities trafficking unit focuses on US patron of Israeli archaeology
Shelby White has already relinquished two dozen items worth at least $20 million due to investigations
By Asaf Elia-Shalev
A 2,700-year-old ivory incense spoon plundered from a site in the West Bank — seized in late 2021 by the Manhattan District Attorney's office as part of a plea deal with billionaire hedge fund manager Michael Steinhardt, displayed at the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, January 19, 2023. (AP Photo/ Maya Alleruzzo)
February 3, 2023, 10:41 am
Far-right minister probes legality of US returning looted artifact to Palestinians
Heritage minister calls to examine transfer of ivory spoon seized from collection of US Jewish billionaire, says he’ll give Antiquities Authority control over West Bank archaeology
By AP and ToI Staff
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