Posted on 05/22/2025 6:36:32 AM PDT by Ezekiel
Israeli archaeologists say it is the second such find at the same site within the last year.
A 2,300-year-old ring has been discovered in Jerusalem’s ancient City of David, in the second such find at the same site within the last year, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Wednesday.
The small size of the ring, gold and set with a red gemstone, indicates that it belonged to a youngster living in Jerusalem during the Second Temple period more than two millennia ago, the state-run archaeological body said.
The member of the excavation team who found the ring initially thought it was a modern piece of jewelry that had been dropped by someone working on the dig.
Both rings were unearthed in the foundations of a large building that pointed to the wealth of its occupants.
“When I held this ring in my hand, I felt part of my history,” said Rivka Lengler, a City of David excavator present when the ring was uncovered. “I felt that I could actually touch and connect with the people who lived here in Jerusalem thousands of years ago.”
The ring was the latest in a string of jewelry pieces from the early Hellenistic period discovered at the site just outside the walls of the Old City. The researchers believe that the jewelry was likely buried at the time, as part of a well-known practice symbolizing the transition from childhood to adulthood.
“This is the first time that we have found in Jerusalem such a large assemblage of gold jewelry from that period,” said Efrat Bocher, one of the excavation managers. “This displayed wealth is very rare in any archaeological layer, and it attests to the wealth of Jerusalem and the high standard of living of the city’s residents during this period.”
According to the researchers, jewelry that combined gold with brightly colored precious stones was common to this period, when fashion was influenced by Eastern countries such as India and Persia, and trade in the region that resulted from the conquests of Alexander the Great.
“The discovery of the golden rings from the time of the Second Temple in the City of David is tangible evidence of the wealth, beauty and importance of Jerusalem, even thousands of years ago,” said IAI director Eli Escusido.
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2nd gold ring found in City of David sheds light on enigmatic Hellenist era in Jerusalem
Ring ping!
LOVE antique jewelry. The Suq at the Oriental Institute let the docents buy replicas in 24K. One of my very first splurges.
bkmk City of David
And who living there would have had the means to supply their child with a gold ring?
The ring is simple but very beautiful.
Thanks Ezekiel.
That’ll buff right out......................
Like the One Ring of Sauron but without the corrupting evil.
And recently you’d posted about the Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet discovery.
I wonder if in ancient Israel, garnet jewelry in particular was symbolic of the pomegranate, or the seeds which is more the shape of this child-sized ring. The info is probably out there somewhere.
garnet:
Etymology 1
From Middle English gernet, granate, from Old French grenate, from grenat (“pomegranate red”). Doublet of grenade.
>>>
9 Jewish Things About Pomegranates
Why this ancient fruit is a Jewish symbol.
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/9-jewish-things-about-pomegranates/
Ate a Pomegranate one time. It’s more trouble than it’s worth.............
The Suq is the museum shop located at the Oriental Institute Museum, which is part of the University of Chicago. It sells a variety of items including jewelry, books, home decor, and replicas of artifacts found in the museum’s collections. The shop is a not-for-profit entity, with proceeds supporting various departments and projects within the Institute, particularly the Research Archives. 🙂👍
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