Tourism
Exquisite Gold Bead Discovered in City of David
A rare gold bead from the end
of the Roman era was uncovered within the Israel Antiquities Authority
excavation of the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, part of the Jerusalem
Walls National Park. The gold bead, which was discovered by a volunteer, is handmade
in a delicate and complicated process.
"Whoever wore it was
certainly affluent", researchers said.
A unique bead made from pure gold and dated to
at least 1,600 years ago was uncovered at the sifting project at the
Archaeological Experience in the Emek Tzurim National Park. The bead was found
in dirt removed from a grandiose Roman structure discovered in the Pilgrimage
Road Excavation. It was created using a unique technique that required delicate
workmanship to affix tens of tiny balls together in the shape of a ring in
order to create one small bead.
Hallel
Feidman, age 18, from Bnei Ayish, is
the volunteer who found the gold bead. She is a National Service volunteer who
is working at the sifting project. "I poured the pail onto the sieve and began
to wash the material that was brought from the excavations in the City of
David, " Feidman says as she describes the moment she made the
discovery. "And then I saw
something shiny in the corner of the sieve, different, that I don’t normally
see. I immediately approached the archaeologist and he confirmed that I found a
gold bead. Everyone here was very excited. "
According
to Dr. Amir Golani, an ancient jewelry expert at the Israel Antiquities
Authority: "Throughout all my
years in archaeology, I have found gold perhaps once or twice, so to
find gold jewelry, is something very very
special". He points out that the bead, which survived unscathed, is
probably only a small part of a necklace or bracelet that included additional
beads. "Whoever could afford a piece like this made from gold, was an
affluent person, with means."
According
to Shlomo Greenberg and Ari Levy, Excavation Directors on behalf of the Israel
Antiques Authority, "The bead
originated in a grandiose structure which is at least 25 meters long. The
structure was built on the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, in a building
style that characterizes upscale buildings. The wealth of the building's
occupants is evidenced by additional finds that were discovered in it, like
imported clay vessels and a decorated mosaic floor."
The researchers point out that it is possible
that the bead was created in a period that precedes the period of the structure
in which it was found, however, it is reasonable to assume that the people that
lived in the structure used the bead
which may have accidentally been lost when the necklace broke.
The find holds distinctive importance due to the
lack of gold items found in archaeological excavations, and because beads of
this style are not common, due to the unique and complex technique used to
create them. The technique most probably originates from the region of
Mesopotamia, where it was known from approximately 4500 years ago.
"The most interesting aspect of the bead is
its unique and complex production method", explains Dr. Golani. "A
good understanding of the materials and their properties is required, as well
as control over the heat, in order to on the one hand, solder the tiny balls
together to create a tiny ring, while also preventing overheating which may
lead all the gold to melt." According to him, "Only a professional
craftsman could produce such a bead, which is another reason that this find
holds great value."
The use of the unique technique which came from
outside of Israel, coupled with the use of gold in creating this bead, speaks
to the wealth of its owner. It is
possible that the bead was created in a different area and made its way to the
City of David due to the extensive trade relations between Jerusalem and other
regions at that time. Another theory is that the bead was gifted to a Jerusalem
resident, or, possibly due to its unique nature, the bead was passed within the
family from one generation to another as an inheritance.
Similar beads have been discovered in burial
caves from 2500 years ago (end of the First Temple period) in Ketef Hinnom near
the City of David, during excavations carried out by Professor Gabriel Barkay,
but even those beads were made from silver. To this day, only a few dozen gold
beads have been found in Israel.
According to
Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "Although it is a tiny find, it is
precisely the personal, day-to-day items that manage to touch and
connect us more than anything else, directly, to
a certain person. Even with today's advanced technology, creating something
like this would be very complex. A close examination of this object fills one
with a deep sense of admiration for the technical skill and ability of those
who came before us many centuries ago. " in the Emek Tzurim National Park
operates all year long, and over the years has uncovered numerous finds from
different periods in Jerusalem's history, including a rare jewelry and coins,
and pottery fragments.
The gold bead which was discovered in Israel Antiquities Authority excavations in the City of David. Photo Credit: Koby Harati, City of David
A rare gold bead from the end
of the Roman era was uncovered within the Israel Antiquities Authority
excavation of the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, part of the Jerusalem
Walls National Park. The gold bead, which was discovered by a volunteer, is handmade
in a delicate and complicated process.
"Whoever wore it was
certainly affluent", researchers said.
A unique bead made from pure gold and dated to
at least 1,600 years ago was uncovered at the sifting project at the
Archaeological Experience in the Emek Tzurim National Park. The bead was found
in dirt removed from a grandiose Roman structure discovered in the Pilgrimage
Road Excavation. It was created using a unique technique that required delicate
workmanship to affix tens of tiny balls together in the shape of a ring in
order to create one small bead.
Hallel
Feidman, age 18, from Bnei Ayish, is
the volunteer who found the gold bead. She is a National Service volunteer who
is working at the sifting project. "I poured the pail onto the sieve and began
to wash the material that was brought from the excavations in the City of
David, " Feidman says as she describes the moment she made the
discovery. "And then I saw
something shiny in the corner of the sieve, different, that I don’t normally
see. I immediately approached the archaeologist and he confirmed that I found a
gold bead. Everyone here was very excited. "
According
to Dr. Amir Golani, an ancient jewelry expert at the Israel Antiquities
Authority: "Throughout all my
years in archaeology, I have found gold perhaps once or twice, so to
find gold jewelry, is something very very
special". He points out that the bead, which survived unscathed, is
probably only a small part of a necklace or bracelet that included additional
beads. "Whoever could afford a piece like this made from gold, was an
affluent person, with means."
According
to Shlomo Greenberg and Ari Levy, Excavation Directors on behalf of the Israel
Antiques Authority, "The bead
originated in a grandiose structure which is at least 25 meters long. The
structure was built on the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David, in a building
style that characterizes upscale buildings. The wealth of the building's
occupants is evidenced by additional finds that were discovered in it, like
imported clay vessels and a decorated mosaic floor."
The researchers point out that it is possible
that the bead was created in a period that precedes the period of the structure
in which it was found, however, it is reasonable to assume that the people that
lived in the structure used the bead
which may have accidentally been lost when the necklace broke.
The find holds distinctive importance due to the
lack of gold items found in archaeological excavations, and because beads of
this style are not common, due to the unique and complex technique used to
create them. The technique most probably originates from the region of
Mesopotamia, where it was known from approximately 4500 years ago.
"The most interesting aspect of the bead is
its unique and complex production method", explains Dr. Golani. "A
good understanding of the materials and their properties is required, as well
as control over the heat, in order to on the one hand, solder the tiny balls
together to create a tiny ring, while also preventing overheating which may
lead all the gold to melt." According to him, "Only a professional
craftsman could produce such a bead, which is another reason that this find
holds great value."
The use of the unique technique which came from
outside of Israel, coupled with the use of gold in creating this bead, speaks
to the wealth of its owner. It is
possible that the bead was created in a different area and made its way to the
City of David due to the extensive trade relations between Jerusalem and other
regions at that time. Another theory is that the bead was gifted to a Jerusalem
resident, or, possibly due to its unique nature, the bead was passed within the
family from one generation to another as an inheritance.
Similar beads have been discovered in burial
caves from 2500 years ago (end of the First Temple period) in Ketef Hinnom near
the City of David, during excavations carried out by Professor Gabriel Barkay,
but even those beads were made from silver. To this day, only a few dozen gold
beads have been found in Israel.
According to
Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "Although it is a tiny find, it is
precisely the personal, day-to-day items that manage to touch and
connect us more than anything else, directly, to
a certain person. Even with today's advanced technology, creating something
like this would be very complex. A close examination of this object fills one
with a deep sense of admiration for the technical skill and ability of those
who came before us many centuries ago. " in the Emek Tzurim National Park
operates all year long, and over the years has uncovered numerous finds from
different periods in Jerusalem's history, including a rare jewelry and coins,
and pottery fragments.
The gold bead which was discovered in Israel Antiquities Authority excavations in the City of David. Photo Credit: Koby Harati, City of David
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