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COINS & METALS OF ISRAEL
Coins and metal objects throughout the history of Israel show both the distinctive periods of history but can also reveal messages from the authorities to the local people and the skills possessed by the makers needed to develop this precious artefacts that are mostly well preserved. Photos thanks to Wikimedia commons
GOLDEN EARRINGS FROM MEGIDDO
12th century BC - Tel Megiddo Israel
Researchers from Tel Aviv University have recently discovered a collection of gold and silver jewelry dated from around 1100 B.C., hidden in a vessel at the archaeological site of Tel Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. One piece - a gold earring decorated with molded ibexes, or wild goats - is "without parallel," they believe. Some of the pieces could have originated in nearby Egypt.
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VERED SWORD
World oldest Iron sword - 7th century BC - Jericho, Israel
The Vered Jericho sword is visible in the Israel Museum. It is a remarkable ceremonial sword from the 7th century BC! The sword is of a complexity greater than one would assume for the era and is truly a remarkable feat of engineering. The description of the sword as displayed in Jerusalem’s Israel Museum tells: "This rare and exceptionally long sword, which was discovered on the floor of a building next to the skeleton of a man, dates to the end of the First Temple period." And the Israel Museum Journal of 1992 gives more information on this remarkable sword: "Microradiographic x-ray examination and photography of the sword indicate that the hilt, ridge, and the blade were prepared separately and then forged together by hammering. Metallurgical analysis of a sample taken from the blade proves that it was made of mild steel, and that the iron was deliberately hardened into steel, attesting to the technical knowledge of the blacksmith. The sword is 1.05 meters long and has a double edged blade. The sword is made of iron hardened into steel, attesting to substantial metallurgical know-how. Over the years, it has become cracked, due to corrosion." (Biblical Archaeology Review 12/4 [July-August 1986]: 33, 35)
6TH C. IRON ARROW HEADS
6th century BC - Mount Zion, Jerusalem
The Israel museum holds many objects that were found during archaeological research in the City of David, Jerusalem. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of the bloody Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in the 6th B.C. Experts digging in an excavation site at Jerusalem’s Mount Zion run by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte found layers of ash and arrowheads, as well as lamps, a gold and silver tassel or earring and pieces of ceramics from the Iron Age.
From the 6th century BC this ancient city revealed Iron Arrow heads. For Iron arrow heads of the Israel Museum click on the link or see more of the Babylonian era Arrow heads (video).
GOLDEN 'HORNED ANIMAL' EARRING FROM THE CITY OF DAVID
2nd-3th Century BC - Jerusalem
A 2,000 year old golden earring was discovered in the City of David National Park. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority and the University of Tel Aviv, who supervised the excavation, “Those who wore it belonged to the upper class of Jerusalem”. The magnificent gold earring, designed in the shape of a horned animal, is dated to the second-third centuries BC (the Hellenistic period.
SAMARITAN INSCRIPTIONS
2th century BC - Mount Gerizim
In the second century BCE, Samaria was predominantly inhabited by Yahweh-worshipping Jews whose beliefs diverged from mainstream Judaism, particularly regarding the sacred site, which they believed to be Mount Gerizim rather than Jerusalem. Between 1982 and 2006, archaeologist Yitzhak Magen led excavations at Jabal al-Tur, a peak of Mount Gerizim, uncovering a Yahwist sacred precinct used from the 5th century BCE until its destruction in the 2nd century BCE. The site yielded 386 inscriptions—378 in Aramaic script, 7 in Paleo-Hebrew, and 1 combining both—found on coins, stone, and even a silver ring from the 2nd century BCE
SILVER HEBREW RING
400 BC - 100 BC - Mount Gerizim
A Silver ring with an hebrew inscription originates from Mount Gerizim and is dted between the fifth and second century BCE. The inscription can be translated into " יהוה אחד 'The Lord is One.' This is the ending of the verse "Hear O Israel" and the two words commonly represent the entire verse.
ROMAN SWORD
1st century AD - City of David Jerusalem
A remarkable and well preserved 2,000 year old iron sword was found during ecavations in the city of David. Not only the iron was well preserved but also its leather sheath remained partially intact. According to a statement made by the directors of the excavation, Eli Shukron from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Professor Ronny Reich from the University of Haifa, “It is plausible that the sword belonged to a foot soldier of the Roman garrison that was in the Land of Israel upon the breakout of the Great Revolt against the Romans, in 66 CE. See also link
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Photo: Gary Todd
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COPPER SCROLL
50-100 AD - Qumran caves
The Copper Scroll (3Q15), discovered in Cave 3 near Qumran, stands apart from the other Dead Sea Scrolls. Unlike the literary works on parchment or papyrus, this unique scroll, made of copper, lists 64 locations of hidden treasures of gold and silver. Written around 50–100 CE, its Hebrew resembles Mishnaic Hebrew rather than the biblical Hebrew seen in other scrolls. Its unusual vocabulary and writing style make it a fascinating but challenging artifact, offering a rare glimpse into a different linguistic tradition of ancient Hebrew.
Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
EIN GEDI ROMAN SWORDS
1st Century AD - Ein Gedi, Judean desert
n the Judean Desert's 'En Gedi Nature Reserve, a recent discovery revealed a cache of four remarkably preserved Roman swords, along with a shafted weapon, dating back 1,900 years. Concealed in a cave crevice, these weapons are believed to have been hidden by Judean rebels after seizing them as spoils from the Roman army. Found in an isolated area north of 'En Gedi within the Judean Desert Nature Reserve, the swords were expertly preserved, featuring iron blades within wooden scabbards and well-crafted handles of wood or metal. Additionally, a Bar-Kokhba bronze coin found at the cave's entrance suggests a connection to the weapons' concealment during the revolt period.
'INCENSE SHOVEL'
1st Century AD - Migdal/Magdala
Archaeologists in Israel have announced the discovery of a rare decorated bronze incense shovel and bronze jug. These artifacts were found at Migdal, also known as Magdala, a significant Jewish settlement dating back approximately 2000 years (the Early Roman period). Previous excavations at Migdal have revealed ancient streets, ritual baths, a marketplace, a mosaic-floored synagogue, and the renowned Magdala stone. Migdal served as a military outpost during the Jewish-Roman conflict and holds religious importance as the traditional birthplace of Mary Magdalene in Christian tradition. Dina Avshalom-Gorni, the chief archaeologist for the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained that the incense shovel is one of only ten known examples from the Second Temple period found in Israel. While it likely played a role in rituals, such as handling embers during ceremonies, Avshalom-Gorni suggested it might have also served practical, everyday purposes. Both the shovel and the bronze jug were discovered on the floor of a storehouse near the site's docks, possibly cherished heirlooms of a local family.
OIL LAMP CITY OF DAVID
1st-2th Century AD - Jerusalem
A 2,000-year-old oil lamp was discovered on Jerusalem's Pilgrimage Road in the City of David. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said it is estimated to be from the 1st century to the early 2nd century AD. 'The offering of this lamp may attest to the importance of the building, which may have been linked to the protection of the Siloam Pool, the city's primary water source,' said Dr. Yuval Baruch and Ari Levy, according to the IAA statement. 'This lamp is a very unique find, and as far as we know, the first of its kind discovered in Israel,' they were quoted as saying. 'The uniqueness of the current object is that it is only half a face.' Experts believe the lamp was originally attached to a flat object or wall inside the sacred Temple, which was lit during prayer ceremonies.
'GOOD SHEPHERD' RING
early 4th Century AD - Caesarea Coast
Marine archaeologists diving off the coast of Caesarea have discovered a number of ancient artifacts in recent months, including some dating back to the third century, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed on Wednesday.
The finds came from the wrecks of two ships that went down near the northern coastal town during the Roman and the Mamluk periods. “The ships were probably anchored nearby and were wrecked by a storm,” said Jacob Sharvit and Dror Planer of the IAA’s Marine Archaeology Unit.
See article link for the picture of the hoard of coins from the Mamluk period by Dafna Gazit/Israel Antiquities Authority.
BRONZE HOOK FOR AN OIL LAMP
13rd-4th Century AD - Wadi Hamam (Galilee)
The Israel Museum has a remarkable bronze hook decorated with a menorah that was used for hanging oil lamps. It was found at Wadi Hamam and dates to the 3rd-4th century AD.
At Wadi Hamam an ancient synagogue is located on a steep slope at the base of the cliffs of Mount Nitai. The synagogue has basalt columns and part of a mosaic floor is preserved.
JEWISH LEAD COFFINS
4th Century AD - Bet Shearim
This coffin was probably made in Sidon and it is decorated with Jewish symbols: the menorah, an incense shovel, and the Four Species. Because Lead coffins were cheaper to produce than stone coffins they were commonly used in the Land of Israel in the 3rd–4th century CE. TThe workshops crafting these coffins catered to individuals of various faiths, allowing clients to choose symbols that aligned with their religious beliefs.
PLATE WITH MENORAH
4th-7th Century AD - Israel
A byzantine era bronze plate is part of the collection of the Louvre museum. It is decorated with an incised menorah and a Torah shrine that are featured on the rim of this plate, resembling designs seen in Samaritan synagogue art. This suggests the piece may have a Samaritan origin. Olive twigs, a motif commonly found in Samaritan but less often in Jewish art, flank the shrine.
BRONZE AMULET FROM ARBEL
6th Century AD - Ein Gedi
A 1,500-year-old Byzantine-era pendant sheds light on Jewish life in ancient Israel. Found in Arbel, Galilee, and recently given to the Antiquities Authority, the triangular amulet features a haloed horseman casting a sphere at a fallen figure, with a Greek inscription reading, “The One God who Conquers Evil.” Beneath the horse are the Greek letters I A W O, representing Y-H-W-H. The reverse shows an eye pierced by arrows, surrounded by dangerous animals, and the phrase “One God.” Dr. Eitan Klein notes it is part of a 5th–6th century CE series from the Galilee and Lebanon.
EIN GEDI BRONZE MENORAH & CUP
6th Century AD - Ein Gedi
OPHEL TREASURE
Byzantine period Israel
Jerusalem, Israel. 9th Sep, 2013. Hebrew University archaeologist, Dr. Eilat Mazar, displays a gold medallion decorated with a menorah, a shofar and a Torah scroll reflecting the historical presence of Jews between the 4th and 7th centuries. Jerusalem, Israel. 9-Sept-2013. A stash of gold coins and a gold medallion discovered in the Ophel excavations, just 50 meters from the Temple Mount, is considered by archaeologists "a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime discovery". (photo: Alamy stock)
USHA IRON HAMMER
7th Century AD - Usha
During excavations part of a community dig at an archaeological site of Usha in the Galilee a discovery of an Iron Hammer was made. The iron Hammer and nails date back to the Byzantine period, about 1,400 years ago. The artefacts were found near slag leftovers from ancient iron production. “About 20 iron hammers are registered in the Israel Antiquities Authority records, only six of them from the Byzantine period,” Also ritual baths dating back to 1800 years ago were found at Usha. During the Roman occupation Usha was one of the sites were the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious council was located.
YAVNE GOLD RING
Possible 7th Century AD - Yavne
A unique gold ring featuring a delicate purple amethyst stone was uncovered in the excavation of a Byzantine winery complex in Yavne. According to Biblical tradition Amethysts are one of the 12 precious stones worn by the high priest of the Temple during ceremonies. Many virtues have been attached to the amethysts, including the prevention of the side effect of drinking, the hangover.
CRUSADER ERA SWORD
12th Century AD - Haifa, Israel
Shlomo Katzin, a diver who diving for the coast of Haifa found this iron sword. It is thought the sword, heavily encrusted with marine organisms, resurfaced after the shifting of sands. The ancient sword with a three-foot-long iron blade is about 900 years old. Experts plan to clean and X-ray the barnacle-encrusted weapon, in hopes of learning more about it. Yaakov Sharvit of the Israel Antiquities Authority told CBS News, "Maybe there is a name written on it, maybe there is a decoration and that will also give us more information about the knight who held this beautiful sword."
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LATIN CROSS - KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM
Between 1100 & 1200 AD Jerusalem
This beautiful golden double-arm cross used to contained fragments of four of the most important relics of Christ’s Passion, namely a small part of the True Cross, a piece of Christ’s sudarium (sweat cloth), and fragments of the reed staff and sponge used by Christ’s tormentors to torture him. This doube-arm cross can be seen in the Cleveland Museum of Art. This museum also has a pilgrim flask made from lead in its amazing collection from the same period (1099-1200 AD).
Photo: Cleveland museum of Art
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TORAH SHIELDS FROM SHECHEM (NABLUS)
16th Century - Shechem
In the collection of Jewish Art and Life in the Israel Museum of Jerusalem you can find many beautiful Silver 'Torah Shields' from many different countries. The collection includes two shields that came from Shechem and date probably to the 16th century. One of them is inscribed with the Hebrew text: “Dedicated by the bride Dina, ‘most blessed of women in tents’, to the holy community of Shekhem” (See link). Another Shield bares the text: “Dedicated by the dear and distinguished, the honorable rabbi Abraham, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, son of the dear, the wise, praiseworthy and very distinguished, the honorable rabbi Isaac Shahoah, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him”(See link).
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Entrance of St. James Monastery; Photo Jorge Lascar (wikimedia)
17C. & 18C. ARMENIAN COPPER TABLEWARE
Jerusalem, St James Monastery
The British Museum has a great collection of old artefacts related to the history of Jerusalem and the holy land. Thinned-Copper plates and dishes that originate in St James Monastery have been donated by Charles Todd. Some examples are:
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A tinned-copper Dish dating to 1675 with an Armenian inscription that reads: "Alek’san son of Petros in the year 1124 [AD 1675]"
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A plate dating to 1722
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A dish dating to 1742 with an inscription that translates into: "For the pleasure of Reverend Grigor the blessed Patriarch of Holy Jerusalem and in memory at the door of Saint Yakob (St James) 1191 [AD 1742]"
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A dish from 1797, Jerusalem, with the text: "Kuyumaci Ovanes 1246 [AD 1797]"
"JERUSALEM" INSCRIPTION RING
18th century - Jerusalem
The Israel museum has some remarkable ancient artefacts from all periods. An 18th century Signet ring with depiction of the Western Wall in Jerusalem is one beautiful piece of jewelry. The silver ring from Jerusalem bears the Hebrew inscription "Jerusalem". To see the ring follow the link to the 'Jerusalem ring' of the Israel Museum.
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HANUKKAH LAMPS 18TH & 19TH C.
18th century - Jerusalem
A miniature Shabbat lamp similar to Hanukkah lamp design originate from the Stieglitz collection, now visible in the Israel museum. This 18th century lamp is made of cast brass. Another old example is a 19th century Hanukkah lamp made from tin and adorned with birds.
Example of an 18th century Hanukkah lamp from Germany (see link to wikimedia).
"ACRE DEFENDED, NAPOLEON REPULSED, SYRIA SAVED"
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Other commemorative medals celebrating the end of the war with France in AD 1814 (wikimedia Commons).
These medals celebrate the 1799 British victory at Acre, part of the Ottoman Syria, led by the British admiral Sir Sidney Smith. This defeat thwarted Napoleon’s ambitions in the Holy Land and his broader plans to threaten British colonial interests in India and redirected napoleon's focus to Europe. Part of a 40-piece series, issued in 1820 to celebrate key British victories during the Napoleonic Wars, the medals feature Smith in uniform and a British lion defeating a French tiger while protecting a Syrian camel, symbolizing Acre’s strategic significance. The medals mention "Acre defended, Napoleon repulsed, Syria saved".
Examples of Torah Finials from Berlin (wikimedia)
TORAH FINIALS (RIMONIM)
1811 - Jerusalem
the Gross Family Collection hold many unique objects of Jewish Art. For example decorative objects like silver rimmonim or Torah finials. The oldest dating back to 1811. At this time there were around 4000 to 5,000 Jews in Jerusalem and silver work of this quality from that time in the city is unknown. the Rommonim has two inscriptions:
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Rimmon 1: "A gift to the Holy City: expiation for the soul of Chaim Biro, May the Lord sustain and protect him."
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Rimmon 2: "The month of Tammuz: in the year 5571 [1811]: Jerusalem, May it be built speedily in our time, Amen."
ESTHER SCROLL IN SILVER CASE
1898 - Jerusalem
This Yemenite style silver case for the Esther Scroll was made in late 19th century Jerusalem. It it very unique and was made for one of the Yemenite synagogues in the old city. Unusual is the Hamsa finial. This symbol was often used in Jerusalem but uncommon in Yemen. It seems that this silver case is a fusion of the Yemenite style with the local customs of Jerusalem, where the belief in the effects of the evil eye was very strong.
Example of a similar Esther Scroll in Case
Possibly Persia, 19th century (wikimedia)
Example of a similar Silver Kiddush Cup
from 1930 (wikimedia phot0 by Eladkarmel)
SILVER KIDDUSH CUPS FROM SAFED
1885 & 1910 - Safed
Kiddush cups are used on the Shabbat and religious Holidays for blessings recited over wine or grape juice. Kiddush cups form Safed are famous Judaica. Many kiddush cups were brought without decoration from Europe. Often they were engraved in Safed in Eretz Israel with vignettes of Holy sites. The earliest dated cup is from 1881 and the links are provided for a kiddush cup from 1885, and one from 1910, both from Safed. Another Kiddush cup from the late 19th century also originates from Israel.
20th C. HANUKKAH LAMPS
1900/1940 - Jerusalem
Hanukkah lamps can be found in many countries in Europe, North Africa, the Middle-East and even as far as India. Some 20th century examples from Israel (before 1947) are:
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A Hanukkah lamp made from Glass, cotton and Iron wire originates in Jerusalem and dates to 1900. The photo depicts a stone Hanukkah lamp from 1900 that was found neat Jerusalem (Jewish Encyclopedia).
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A brass, silver plated Hanukkah lamp from 1940.
A Hanukkah lamp dating to 1900 and found near Jerusalem (wikimedia).
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A beautiful example of a Hanukkah lamp made in 1960 in Israel (wikimedia phot0).
JEWISH ART FROM BEZALEL WORKSHOP
1906-1929 - Jerusalem
The Bezalel School of Art was established in 1906 in an attempt to create local art in the land of Israel. The Bezalel School aimed to create and promote a national art with romantic, historic and realistic motifs, mostly influenced by the Bible. Many beuatiful artworks are visible in the Israel Museum. Some beautiful examples are:
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A Hanukkah lamp, dating to 1914-1929 with an Hebrew inscription:" these light are sacred".
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A Torah Pointer made from silver and Ivory and dating to 1916, with an inscription "Bezalel Jerusalem"
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A small silver filigree bowl (1906-1929) with the Hebrew inscription "Bezalel Jerusalem" on a silver plaque under the base of the bowl.
ANCIENT COINS
Coins can be found from the Persian era in Israel and in all the following periods until today. Jewish and later Christian symbols decorate these coins that are 'metal messages' of the rulers that made these coins aimed at the users, the people in region.
PERSIAN ERA COINS WITH NAME OF JUDAH/YEHUD
OLDEST COIN WITH NAME 'JUDAH'
5th & 4th Century BC
A remarkable coin from the Persian era (5th and 4th centuries BC) is the oldest coin with the name Judah. The silver coin, based upon the Greek drachma, bears the word Yehud in Aramaic script. Although there are a handful of other examples of coins bearing the name Judea, according to Haim Gitler from the Israel Museum said the silver drachm was a “unique coin” in its design, probably minted in Philistia, (the coastal plain where today the modern cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gaza lie). Based on the stylization of the Aramaic script and depictions on the coin, Gitler dated the coin to the early 4th century BC. (picture: drawing of the 'Yehud coin')
COIN OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
A coin commemorating Alexander the Great with a depiction of Zeus similar to the coin of Rosh Ha'ayim.
4th century BC Rosh Ha'ayin
A coin found at the site bears the name of Alexander the Great — ΑΛΕΞΑNΔΡΟΥ — the Macedonian military commander who conquered the Land of Israel in the 4th century BCE, ushering in the Hellenistic period in the area. The coin, which also bears images of the god Zeus and the mythological hero Hercules, indicates a Greek presence in the region. A second century BC coin was recently found that shows the Greek king Antiochus IV. This king was called "Evil Antiochus" by the Jews because of his harsh and cruel prosecution of the Jews (that is still remembered in the story of Hanukkah).
SILVER COINS OF JEWISH REBELS
3rd - 2nd century BC -
A wooden box containing 15 silver coins, buried in a cave near Israel's Dead Sea some 2,200 years ago, was discovered during excavations in the Judean Desert. The coins have been identified as silver tetradrachms minted between 176 and 170 BC, under Ptolemy VI Philometor, king of Egypt. His uncle, Antiochos IV Epiphanes reigned at that time over the Seleucid Empire, which dominated the land of Israel. One of the coins is engraved with the name "Shalmai" in Aramaic script. The high value of the coins make it likely that the man who hid the treasure, was killed during a battle against the Seleucid Greeks. "This is a unique, unprecedented discovery" according to archaeologist Dr. Eitan Klein. "It is the first archaeological evidence that the caves of the Judean Desert were used as a refuge and rear base by Jewish rebels during the Maccabean revolt."
HASMONEAN COINS
Magnificent Hasmonean coins were found in Israel dating between 126 and 37 BC (see video below).
Coin of Alexander Jannaeus (103 to 76 BC) with on one side the greek text: BASILEOS ALEXANDROU "King Alexander". The other side has a depiction of an eight-spoke wheel or starburst within a diadem. The Hebrew text reads: "Yehonatan Hamelech" (Yehonatan the King).
Photo : PHG
HASMONEAN MENORAH COIN 40-37 BC
Coin with Greek inscription that reads: “King Antigonus” – around the seven-branched Menorah from the Temple in Jerusalem. The other sides gives the Hebrew inscription – “Matatya the High Priest” – around the showbread table from the Temple in Jerusalem. Matathias Antigonus was the last ruler of the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty, which reigned over Israel from 152 B.C.E. to 37 B.C.E.
ROMAN - HERODIAN COINS
HEROD I (THE GREAT) COINS
Copper coin of Herod, bearing the legend "Basileus Herodon" on the obverse and a Macedonian sun-symbol on the reverse.
ROMAN & JEWISH REVOLT COINS
Photo: DrusMAX
TRIBUTE PENNY
14 - 37 AD - reign of Tiberius Caesar
The tribute penny was the coin that was shown to Jesus when he made his famous speech. The phrase comes from the King James Version of the gospel account: Jesus is asked, "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"(Mark 12:14) and he replies, "bring me a penny, that I may see it". Sensing the motivations of his inquisitors, he asked to see a denarius, the Roman coin used to pay taxes. He asked, “Whose head and whose title does it bear?” to which the questioners answered, “The emperor’s” In response Jesus said, “Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:22, 24, 25).
BYZANTINE COINS
GOLD SOLIDUS
EIN GEDI COIN
'CRUXIFIXION' COIN
Photo: Simliar justinias coin
420-423 AD Constantinopel
530 AD - Ein Gedi Israel
This gold coin is a solidus minted by the emperor Theodosius II in Constantinople around 420-423 CE and it was the first of its type discovered in Israel. In this picture we can see the image of the goddess Victory holding the staff ot the cross. Theodosius II was one of the most influential emperors (408-450 CE) of the Byzantine Empire. He founded the University of Constantinople in 425 CE and compiled of the Theodosian Code (published 438 CE), which codified the laws issued after 312 CE. The emperor Theodosius II abolished the post of the ‘Nasi,’ the Head of the Sanhedrin Council and decreed that the Jews’ financial contributions to the Sanhedrin be transferred to the Imperial Treasury.
At the ancient synagogue of Eind Gedi a hoard of line-wrapped coins was found in an adjacent building courtyard. The latest of these coins was dated to the Emperor Justinian I The Great ) who reigned from 527 AD to 565 AD. The picture is of a similar Byzantine coin from Justinianus
638-639 AD Ramat Ha-Sharon
Israeli archaeologists working for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have discovered a Byzantine-era gold coin depicting Jesus’ Crucifixion. The coin was one of several artifacts found during an excavation by Ramat Ha-Sharon, a city near Tel Aviv. The rare gold coin was believed to have been minted in 638 or 639 AD by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius. Heraclius is depicted on one side of the coin, while the Crucifixion is displayed on the other. According to Dr. Yoav Arbel, the director of the excavation, the findings provide further insight into what life was like during the Byzantine period some 1,500 years ago.
COINS OF THE BYZANTINE SASANID WAR
614 AD - Near Jerusalem
Recently Israeli archaeologists have discovered of a hoard of rare Byzantine bronze coins from a site dating back to 614 AD. The coins were discovered during excavations for the widening of the Tel Aviv- Jerusalem highway. The newly found coins are clear evidence of the Sasanian (Persian) invasion of Jerusalem at the end of the Byzantine period. As the Persian army (supported by many Jewish rebels) marched on Jerusalem in 614 AD, Christians living in the town rushed to hide their possessions, including a hoard of the valuable coins, hoping that things would soon go back to normal. More than 20,000 Jewish rebels joined the war against the Byzantine Christians and the Persian army, reinforced by Jewish forces and led by Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias, captured Jerusalem without resistance. According to Sebeos, a 7th-century Armenian bishop and historian, the siege resulted in a total Christian death toll of 17000 and nearly 5000 prisoners, who were massacred near Mamilla reservoir per Antiochus.
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COINS FROM THE ARAB DEFEAT OF BYZANTINES
635 AD - Banias
Israeli archaeologists have discovered a secret stash of Byzantine-era coins inside a stone wall—where someone may have once tried to hide them. Made of pure gold, the 44 coins are decorated with portraits of Emperors Phocas and Heraclius, who ruled in the first half of the seventh century. Experts believe the treasure, which is dated to 635 C.E., was hidden during the Muslim conquest of the area around the end of Heraclius’ reign..
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Muslim bronze Coins, 7th century AD. one with Menorah and the second with Solomon's Seal (six-pointed star). Rare. Sold at an auction organized by Archaeological Center, Jaffa, Israel. There are more of these coins that show that Muslim leaders saw themselves as a continuation of the Jewish people in Jerusalem. And these coins show that during the early Islamic periods there was a great deal of tolerance (especially in the periphery of caliphate) between Muslims and Jews and Muslims and Christians. Nevertheless the period of Islamic rule was not a truly happy story for the Christian and Jewish people. This can be seen in the massacres in Medina, mass expulsions, and the dhimmi system which placed Jews and Christians in second-class status.
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UMAYYAD COINS
7th century AD
Photo: 7th century bronze coin
FATIMID CALIPHATE COINS
11th century - Caesarea
Golden coins from the Fatimid period were discovered by archaeologists in the largest treasure ever found in Israel near the shore in the sea of Caesarea. Of the 2600 coins that were discovered some coins belong to the Fatimid caliphs Al - Hakim (996-1021) and his son Al-Zahir (1021-1036). The gold was found in a shipwreck that possible had collected taxes and was on its way to Egypt.
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Treasure from Fatimid period, Caesarea. Photo by Olevy
COIN CELEBRATION 1000 YEARS BIRTH OF JESUS
1100 AD - Found in Tiberias
In 1998 a treasure trove of bronze coins was discovered in ancient Tiberias. The coins were hidden in pottery jars under the floor of a building. They included 58 bearing the likeness of Jesus. On the front of the coin a vague image of Jesus can be seen. On the back, the Greek inscription: “Jesus the Messiah, the King of Kings”. These coins were minted in Constantinople in the 11th century in celebration of the First Millennium of Jesus' birth.
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Medieval church of St. Peter in Tiberias: Photo by Creisor
CRUSADER COINS
The Crusaders issued coins for the Kingdom of Jerusalem, as well as Jaffa, Ascalon and Akko. A Jerusalem silver denier features the Cross of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre; the Latin inscriptions read AMALRICVS REX (Amalric I, 1162-1173) and DE IERVSALEM (Jerusalem). A later denier, issued by Baldwin IV (1173-1185) pictures the Tower of David.
MAMLUK COINS OF CAESAREA
Marine archaeologists diving off the coast of Caesarea have discovered a number of ancient artifacts in recent months, including some dating back to the third century, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed on Wednesday.
The finds came from the wrecks of two ships that went down near the northern coastal town during the Roman and the Mamluk periods. “The ships were probably anchored nearby and were wrecked by a storm,” said Jacob Sharvit and Dror Planer of the IAA’s Marine Archaeology Unit.
See article link for the picture of the hoard of coins from the Mamluk period by Dafna Gazit/Israel Antiquities Authority.
Video of coins and the golden 'Shepherd ring' found in Caesarea.
COIN FROM SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT.
Coin from Suleiman the magnificent. Ottoman coins where used throughout the Ottoman Empire and no distinctive coins related to the 5 Ottoman Sanjaks (Safad, Jerusalem, Nablus, Lajjun and Gaza) were used. The name Palestine was not officially used in the Ottoman empire only during the British Occupation. One of these beautiful coins was recently found together with a menorah oil lamp and other artifacts at the recently opened Sanhedrin Trail in the Galilee by a student. See article
(photo of a 16th century example from Cairo)
BRITISH MANDATE COINS
1918-1927 AD
During the first period of the British Mandate of the Egyptian pound was used as official currency. Pictured here is the first Egyptian Pound banknote issued in 1898. (photo by M. Abuhelwa)
1927-1946 AD
It was not until 1927 that “Israel” again appears on coins together with the name Palestine that was never used before on any coin. In a greatly abbreviated Hebrew form “E(retz) Y(srael)” (Land of Israel) on coins of the British- Palestine Mandate, 1927-1946. (photo: Arabmuslim12)
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Photo: Arabmuslim12
Photo: Bank of Israel
ISRAELI POUND OR LIRA
1952 AD - Israel
The pound or lira was the currency of the Sate of Israel from 9 June 1952 until 23 February 1980. The Israeli pound replaced the Palestine pound and was initially pegged at par to £1 Sterling. It was replaced by the shekel in 1980 which was replaced by the new shekel in 1985.
Photo: Yonithebest
OLD & NEW ISRAELI SHEKEL
Old shekel 1980 & New Shekel 1986
The old Israeli shekel was the currency of the State of Israel between 24 February 1980 and 31 December 1985. It used again the biblical name of the shekel mentioned in Genesis chapter 23. The old shekel was short-lived due to its hyperinflation. It was replaced by the New Israeli shekel on 1 January 1986.
Photo: New Israeli shekel