Few places in the world have as much history waiting to be unearthed as Israel. Many of these treasures – ancient cemeteries, lost villages, and other sites from biblical times – are uncovered during construction work or land surveys, often not by archaeologists, but by everyday people during a regular workday.
This week, the everyday people who stumbled across the past were Israeli Border Police. who discovered an ancient burial cave beneath east Jerusalem while securing the area following recent violence.
Police called the find into the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), which sent over personnel to properly survey the site.
Preliminary investigations by the IAA indicate that the burials date back to the Second Temple period, between 516 BCE to 70 CE. Other archaeological artifacts were also found within the cave.
Israel and Border Police are securing the area in coordination with the IAA, in order to continue studying the findings as required.
The discovery came as part of police’s ongoing investigations into the violent clash between two feuding families in Silwan that occurred over the weekend and led to the deaths of three people.
The artifacts found in the cave have not yet been revealed to the public, as the site has only been surveyed and the finds have not yet been catalogued. Border Police remain in the area after the violent clash resulted in the deaths of three suspects who had attacked with blunt instruments, blades, and a Molotov cocktail. The IAA is working with police to further secure the site and identify any additional finds in the area.
Given its estimated age and location, this burial cave may have been used during the reign of King Herod in Judea. More about its history and purpose may be revealed as the IAA continues to survey this site, which was discovered entirely by chance.