Gold treasure survives 1,400 years at ancient Christian monastery
Israeli archaeologists recently unearthed ancient gold at a former Christian monastery in the Judean Desert.
The announcement was made by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) this month. The ancient treasure was found at the Hyrcania archaeological site in the northern Judean Desert, located around ten miles east of Jerusalem in the West Bank.
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The treasure consisted of two gold coins and a delicate gold ring. Despite the site being vulnerable to antiquities looting in the past, the artifacts miraculously survived 1,400 years.
The site was founded in the late Hellenistic period, between the second and first centuries BC, when it was used as a fortress.
The gold coins were solidi and bore the image of Heraclius, who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 610 to 641 AD.
According to COGAT, the finds “attest to Christian activity in the region during the Byzantine era.”
“During the Byzantine period, with the development of Judean Desert monasticism, a Christian monastery was established at the site, attributed to the activity of Saint Sabbas, one of the founders of desert monasticism, which operated for hundreds of years,” the agency’s press release noted.
“These discoveries reinforce the understanding that Hyrcania was part of the monastic and religious landscape active in the Judean Desert during the Byzantine period.”
In a statement, archaeologist Binyamin Har-Even said that the artifacts “reflect an important chapter from the Byzantine period and the early Christian tradition in the region.”
“As an Israeli body operating in the area and entrusted with safeguarding its historical heritage, the Archaeology Unit at the Civil Administration sees great importance in preserving and researching sites from all periods and communities that have operated here over the generations,” said Har-Even.
“Our work is intended to protect the past, enable its study, and make it accessible to everyone.”
The discovery isn’t the only Judean Desert find that made international headlines this year.
Earlier in 2025, archaeologists came across a “mysterious pyramid-shaped structure” dating back 2,200 years in the desert.
The structure is made of hand-hewn stones, with each stone weighing hundreds of pounds.
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