The Israel Antiquities Authority (iaa) announced the discovery of four extremely well-preserved Roman swords hidden in a cave.
Dr. Asaf Gayer of the Department of the Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Ariel University noticed the swords in a remote cleft in the cave’s upper portion, as he and other researchers analyzed a Hebrew ink inscription, potentially from the First Temple Period, which was discovered 50 years ago.
“Finding a single sword is rare—so four? It’s a dream! We rubbed our eyes to believe it,” the researchers said. Three of the swords were still sheathed. Researchers believe that the swords were somehow obtained by Judean rebels and then stashed in the cave. Three of the swords are 60 to 65 centimeters long; one sword is 45 centimeters long. The longer swords are identified as Roman “Spatha” swords; the shorter one is a ring-pommel sword. Preliminary examination concluded that these were standard swords employed by Roman soldiers stationed in Judea.
A pilum (a javelin-like weapon used for armor piercing) was also discovered. “The hiding of the swords and the pilum in deep cracks in the isolated cave north of Ein Gedi hints that the weapons were taken as booty from Roman soldiers or from the battlefield, and purposely hidden by the Judean rebels for reuse,” Dr. Eitan Klein, one of the directors of the Judean Desert Survey Project, said.
This discovery highlights the danger of losing artifacts to looters. Amir Ganor, director of the iaa Looting Prevention Unit, said.
According to the press release, “at the entrance to the cave, a Bar Kokhba bronze coin from the time of the revolt was found, possibly pointing to the time when the cave served for concealing the weapons”—though it can’t be concluded that the swords are from the Bar Kokhba Revolt itself.
