An Israeli hiker who recently ventured out to enjoy nature found more than just warm sunshine. He also encountered rare archaeological treasures.
Eles Abrahamov, 45, was hiking in the Tabor Stream Nature Reserve in northern Israel when he spotted an unusual dark orange object on the ground.
“I had two days off from serving in the Israeli Defense Forces Reserves, so I decided to take advantage of the sunny days and go hiking,” Abrahamov said, according to the report. Israel Antiquities Authority news release. “As I was walking, I saw something shiny on the ground, and at first I thought it was a bead or an orange stone. When I picked it up, I realized that it had a carving that looked like a scarab or beetle. I noticed that.”
Abrahamov contacted the Israeli Antiquities Authority, who examined it and was told it was a 2,800-year-old Assyrian seal, or scarab, dating from the time of Solomon’s Temple. This seal is thought to have been used around the time the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Regarding that event, 2 kings.
This seal has an orange insect-like appearance with a winged creature depicted on the bottom.
The first person to receive a call from Abrahamov was Nir Distelfeld of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
“I told him to look at the other side of the scarab, the flat side, and see if there was carving there as well,” Distelfeldt said. “I immediately heard excited cries on the phone and he said he could see a figure or a video.”
Othmar Kiel, professor emeritus at the University of Friborg in Switzerland, said the object is made of “a semi-precious stone called carnelian” and depicts “a mythical griffin creature or galloping winged horse.” He said there was.
Other similar scarabs date from the 8th century BC.
Distelfeld said it was discovered “at the foot of Tell Rekhesh, one of the most important archaeological sites in Galilee.”
“This location has been identified as ‘Anahrat,’ a town within the territory of the tribe of Issachar.Joshua 19:19),” Distelfeld added.
According to the Israeli Antiquities Authority, scarab seals are shaped like dung beetles.
Itzik Paz, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority who carried out the excavation at Tel Rekesh, called it “one of the most important finds” ever discovered at the site.
“At that time, a large fortress stood at Tellua, which was clearly under the control of the Assyrian Empire, which was responsible for the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel,” Paz said. “Thus, the scarab found at the foot of Tell very likely proves Assyrian (or perhaps Babylonian) rule at the site.”
Image credit: ©Israel Antiquities Authority
Michael Faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His story was published in Baptist Press. Christianity Today, Christian Poecent, of leaf chronicle, of toronto star and of knoxville news sentinel.
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