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LequteMan
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Archaeologists have recovered two golden treasure bundles filled with religious artifacts buried at the base of a ruined Byzantine public structure about 50 meters from Jerusalem’s Temple Mount's southern wall.
Inside was 36 Byzantine gold coins, gold and silver jewellery and a distinctive gold religious medallion.
The 10cm medallion is etched with the Temple's logo (a menorah candelabrum) as well as other religious iconography- a shofar (ram's horn) and a Torah scroll. It was attached to a gold chain and its discoverers believe the medallion was an ornament attached to a Torah.
It was found buried in a small hole under the floor, along with a smaller golden medallion and several gold and silver clasps and pendants which are believed to have been attached to the same document.
The second bundle appeared to have been abandoned as its owners fled or to have been hidden higher in the structure with its contents strewn over the floor.
Other items of treasure included large gold earrings, a gold-plated hexagonal prism and a silver ingot.
The discovery was made by Hebrew University of Jerusalem archaeologist Dr Eilat Mazar who is responsible for the controversial excavations at the Ophel site.
Dr Mazar said he believes the gold was abandoned during a Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614AD.
The expedition, funded by investors from New York, made headlines earlier this year when it claimed to have found an ancient Canaanite inscription, possibly the oldest piece of writing so far found in the city.
