Israel: Archaeologists find 2,000 year-old half-shekel coin inscribed “Holy Jerusalem” in Hebrew

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israeli archaeologists digging in the Judean Desert have unearthed a rare, 2,000-year-old half-shekel silver coin inscribed with the words “Holy Jerusalem” in ancient Hebrew, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement Wednesday.

The coin was found in the Ein Gedi nature reserve during the Judean Desert Survey and Excavation Project involving researchers from the IAA, the Ministry of Heritage, and the Staff Officer of the Civil Administration Archaeology Unit in Judea and Samaria.The coin has been dated to 66/67CE, Year One of the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans.

In a statement about the find, Yaniv David Levy of the IAA said: “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. During 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.”

Giving further insight into the importance of the find, Amir Ganor of the Judean Desert Survey and Excavation Project said in a statement: “The find of the silver Year One half-shekel during 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.”

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