A fragment of a 1600-year-old glass bracelet was discovered in Mount Carmel National Park

A fragment of a 1600-year-old glass bracelet, on which models of a menorah,
Revealed during Hanukkah in Mount Carmel National Park
It was discovered in an excavation by the Antiquities Authority before the construction of a water pool for the city of Yokneam, at the initiative of the Mekorot company

A fragment of a bracelet with models of the seven reeds menorah from the Temple was discovered during the Hanukkah holiday (Thursday, 18.12) at the works of the Antiquities Authority near Elakim, in the Mount Carmel National Park. In recent weeks, archaeological excavations have been conducted at the site, prior to the construction of a water pool for the city of Yakneam, at the initiative of the "Mekorot" company.
During the excavation, an industrial area and garbage pits of a large settlement were uncovered, which existed at the end of the Roman period and the beginning of the Byzantine period (end of the 4th century, beginning of the 5th century AD).

According to Limor Ptolemy and Dan Kirzner, the managers of the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, "Last Thursday, at the end of the excavation, we began the process of processing primary material. During the sorting of the contents of one of the boxes, which included hundreds of glass fragments that were thrown into the garbage pit, we found to our surprise a small fragment of a bracelet. Naturally , it was very dirty, but it could still be seen that it was decorated. After cleaning, we were thrilled to discover that the bracelet, made of turquoise glass, was decorated with the symbols of the seven-caned menorah - the same menorah whose, according to tradition, the pouring of oil was enough to light the temple for eight days ". According to the researchers, "it seems that the engraving on the bracelet was done when the glass was hot. In the small fragment that was found, the rings of two lamps survived - one is a simple seven-reed lamp, in which only the face of the menorah is visible and in the other you can see a seven-reed lamp with flames above the reeds."

According to Yael Gorin-Rozen, head of the glass section at the Antiquities Authority, "bracelets and pendants made of glass decorated with lamp or lion symbols, or with various figures of gods and animals, are known during these periods in the Land of Israel, Lebanon and Syria. So far, three fragments of bracelets have been discovered in archaeological excavations in Israel With menorah decorations: in an excavation at Bab al-Hawa in the north of the Golan Heights, in Banias, and another bracelet was discovered years ago in excavations in Shikmona, Haifa. The bracelet from Shikmona is also decorated with a menorah decoration with flames above it." According to Gorin-Rosen, "Such jewelry was found in excavations, usually in the context of burial offerings. It is rarer to find such items in settlement layers, and it is even rarer to find them in an ancient garbage pit."

According to the researchers, "The question now being asked is - is this a definite proof that Jews lived in the ancient settlement? It is possible, but it is possible that Samaritans, or a pagan or Christian population also lived there. Another hypothesis is that the bracelet originated in a workshop that operated there and was intended for other markets. A possibility This relies on additional glass debris finds that were uncovered in the trash pit, which also included beads and bracelets. Glass jewelry was widely used in the late Roman period and it is likely that those that were specially decorated were more expensive than the plain ones without decoration. The trash that was discovered in the pit included many glass vessels and fragments of glass windows, as well as an assortment jewelry, indicates a population living a comfortable and well-being life. It is possible that the large industrial area that was there, supported the residents of the nearby settlement."
The national water company "Mekorot" initiated in recent years the construction of a new water reservoir for the purpose of supplying water to the Yokneam area and Ma'ale HaCarmel. The optimal place chosen, after examining the alternatives in cooperation with the Hoganim Nature Authority and KKL-Junk, was a declared antiquities site. Mekorot financed the activities of the Antiquities Authority in the area and there is currently a detailed approved plan for obtaining a building permit, which includes landscape restoration.

Photo: Yuli Schwartz, Antiquities Authority:

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