A recent study in the Judean Desert uncovered rare artifacts that are nearly 2,000 years old. The finds are Roman swords hidden in caves, probably looted by soldiers or from battlefields.
Archaeological research was conducted by researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Ariel University as part of the Judean Desert Research Project. As they explore the region near the Dead Sea, now known as the En Gedi Conservation Area, they find four swords still in their leather scabbards in cave crevices.
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Swords and other artifacts in the caves
The artifacts date to approximately 1,900 years ago and include four Roman swords made of metal and wood; and a pilum, a hilted weapon thrown like a spear. Three of the swords are 60 centimeters long and one is 45 centimeters long.
The items were found in deep crevices in the cave and were probably hidden there by rebels, who looted them for later use.
Apparently the rebels did not want to be caught with these weapons by the Roman authorities. We’re just starting to explore the cave and the armory discovered there with the aim of finding out who owned the swords and where, when and by whom they were made. We will try to identify the historical event that led to the storage of these weapons in the cave and whether it took place at the time of the Bar Kokhba rebellion in AD 132135.
Eitan Klein, director of the Judean Desert Research Project, in a statement
The weapons were taken to the Israel Antiquities Authority laboratories for preservation and conservation, beyond which they will undergo further examination. Researchers believe they can reveal much more about the period in which they were used and hidden.
The project responsible for studying the Judean Desert searched more than 800 caves in an area of 170 kilometers of cliffs over six years. Besides the swords, the region is believed to hold other archaeological treasures that went unnoticed during the looting that has been taking place in the region since 1947.
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