The Cave of the Skulls and the damage inside it. Image: The Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery of the Israel Antiquities Authority
Posted on 12/09/2014 5:00:40 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Members of the Arad Rescue Unit, undergoing early morning routine training, noticed suspicious activity in the northern cliff of Nahal Ze'elim, in the region of the Leopard's Ascent (Judean Desert). After alerting the authorities a group of antiquity thieves searching for Dead Sea scrolls and other potentially valuable artefacts, were caught red-handed.
The "The Cave of the Skulls", which is located in the side of a cliff, can only be reached on foot via a narrow goat path on top of rock fall, that passes upright bedrock walls and is extremely precarious. The robbers, who had used climbing gear to access the site, were caught with excavation tools, two sophisticated metal detectors, lighting and ropes, as well as large amounts of food and water.
According to the Israel Antiquity Authority, they have caused extensive damage to the archaeological strata, which covers the Roman period c. 2,000 years ago and the Chalcolithic period c. 5,000 years ago.
Amir Ganor, director of the Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery in the Israel Antiquities Authority, says that antiquities robbers have been operating in the area for many years, but due to the the remoteness of the sites, they have proved very difficult to catch...
Over the years many of the plundered finds reached the antiquities markets in Israel and abroad, but it has been decades since perpetrators were caught in the act. This is mainly due to the difficultly in detecting and catching them on the wild desert cliffs.
(Excerpt) Read more at pasthorizonspr.com ...
The Cave of the Skulls and the damage inside it. Image: The Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery of the Israel Antiquities Authority
If only I could believe they were the only ones.
I wonder if they caught them with anything in possession on them?
They really should somehow protect the site from further entry.
Tell those thieves that flight 370 had valuable antiquities on it and they would find it in a couple of weeks.
“Professor Jones, call your office.”
Sad thing is, even if whatever was stolen is recovered...because the stratigraphy (probably) wasn’t recorded, much of the useful information that could be derived from it is lost forever. (I say “probably” because I understand some antiquities thieves are getting good at recording that information now.)
The excerpt says that there have been others over the years but the remote location has kept the authorities from protecting the site.
Wow, they even stole the furniture.
These thieves are low life jerks, but so are those who pay for the artifacts obtained in such a manner.
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