A rare silver half-shekel from the time of the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans over 2,000 years ago was discovered in the Judean Desert in the area of the Ein Gedi nature reserve.
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The coin, dated 66/67CE, was discovered as part of the Judean Desert Survey Project carried out over the last six years by the Israel Antiquities Authority together with the Ministry of Heritage and the Staff Officer of the Civil Administration Archaeology Unit in Judea, with the aim of retrieving the archaeological treasures before the antiquity looters get to them.
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The rare half a shekel silver coin before it was cleaned
(Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority)
Recently, in the course of examining every cave and crack in the rocks, the Israel Antiquities Authority inspectors reached a cliff in a wadi near Ein Gedi, when they came across the coin on the ground at the entrance to one of the caves. One explanation for this find is that the Jerusalem-minted coin fell from the pocket of a rebel who escaped to the desert during the revolt – perhaps on his way to nearby Ein Gedi.
On one side of the coin, the words “The Holy Jerusalem” appears in ancient Hebrew script, and the word “Holy” is spelled without a vowel; this reflects the development of writing on coins since later on in the revolt “The Holy Jerusalem” is written with the vowel. Three pomegranates are depicted in the center of the coin, a familiar symbol which was adopted on the old Israeli lira coin that was currency in the State of Israel until 1980.
A chalice is depicted on the other side of the coin, above which the letter Aleph appears, marking the first year of the outbreak of the revolt, and the value of the half-shekel coin. The chalice is a characteristic symbol on Jewish coins in currency toward the end of the Second Temple period. These coins were minted in the values of shekel and half-shekel at the time of the First Revolt of the Jews against the Romans in Judea between the years 66–70 CE, when the Second Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem.
4 View gallery
The rare half a shekel silver coin after cleaning
(Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority)
It is noteworthy that, in line with the Torah commandment prohibiting the depiction of images, the Jews used vegetal motifs and cultic and religious symbols on their coins, while the pagan population depicted symbols such as animals and the portraits of the ruling emperors, as well as the Greek language that was the common language employed at the time.
As part of the Jewish defiance, and the creation of an internal ‘Jewish Revolt economy’, the rebels minted their own silver and bronze coins depicting Jewish symbols. It is interesting that the rebels chose to use the archaic Hebrew script that was current several hundred years earlier, at the time of the First Temple Period, rather than the Greek script that was used by the population in the country and the region at the time of the Second Temple. The leaders of the Jewish Revolt chose to defy the rulers, and to mint silver coins autonomously, using the Hebrew script and without the image of the ruling emperor. It seems that the coins were minted in Jerusalem, possibly in the Temple precinct.
According to Yaniv David Levy, Israel Antiquities Authority numismatic scholar: “Coins from the first year of the revolt, such as this one, are rare. During the Second Temple period, Jewish pilgrims used to pay a Temple tax in half-shekel coins. For about two centuries, Tyrian-minted coins, made of fine silver and a status symbol in the region, were used for this contribution. In the course of the revolt the rebels minted alternative coins inscribed with 'shekel Israel,' 'half-shekel' and 'quarter-shekel.' It seems that the rituals in the Temple continued during the revolt and these coins were now used by the rebels.”
Amir Ganor, director of the Judean Desert Survey and Excavation Project said the coin is a rare find.
“The find of the silver Year One half-shekel in the course of a controlled archaeological activity is a rare event in Israel, and in the Judean Desert in particular. This find emphasizes the importance of the controlled professional survey of the entire Judean Desert. Every new find contributes to the history of the people and the country. Were it not for the survey, the coin may have been found by antiquity looters and sold on the antiquities market for the highest price offered. Over the six years of the project, we have recorded over 800 caves, and have found thousands of significant finds,” he said.
Heritage Minister Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu said that: “The exciting discovery brings further evidence of the deep and indisputable connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority researchers, the First Year Revolt coin is rare, dating back about 2,000 years, and the inscription reads ‘Holy Jerusalem.’ This amazing find is another strong sign of our people’s roots in the Land of Israel.”
According to Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority: “The discovery of the half-shekel coin is yet another gift that the Israel Antiquities Authority bestows on the Israeli nation – first-hand evidence of a turbulent period in the history of our people 2000 years ago, in a period of extremism and discourse that divided the nation and led to destruction. After two millennia we have returned to our country, and holy Jerusalem is again our capital. The find of the coin at these times is a reminder for us of what happened in the past, teaching us the importance of working toward unity.”