Second-Century Artifacts Found (Jewish Rebellion)

News.Com.Au ^ | 11-19-2002

[blam]

Second-century artifacts found

From correspondents in Jerusalem, Israel
November 19, 2002

A cave survey in Israel's Judean Desert has found papyrus scrolls, coins and arrow heads from the time of the Jewish rebellion against the Romans in the second century, archaeologists said.

The scrolls, while believed to be less significant than the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the region in 1947, will shed light on the time of the revolt led by Simon Bar Kochba, said Zvika Tzuk, an archaeologist for the National Parks Authority.

The artifacts were found in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, near the Dead Sea, by a team of archaeologists headed by Professor Hanan Eshel from Bar Ilan University and Amos Frumkin of Jerusalem's Hebrew University.

Historians believe the rebels fled to the desert after the Romans crushed the revolt, hiding out in hillside caves dotted throughout the rugged terrain.

Rappelling into a cave, archaeologists found the papyrus scrolls as well as coins bearing the name "Shimon," a reference to Bar Kochba, the leader of a 132-135 rebellion, the parks authority said.

Archaeologists also found a dozen wooden arrows and metal arrowheads, and scraps of cloth.

The scrolls, as yet unopened, have been given to the Israel Museum, where they will be researched.

Between 1947-65, archaeologists discovered hundreds of ancient Jewish documents at Qumran, the area where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Decades later, archaeologists believed all the scrolls in the area had been found until the discovery of a number of documents near Jericho between 1986-93.

"After two generations where we didn't discover anything, this find is very important," Tzuk said.

[Shermy]

The scrolls, while believed to be less significant than the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the region in 1947,

The scrolls, as yet unopened,

Higher Education.

[rmlew]

Jewish history ping.

[Cicero]

I put in quite a lot of time studying the Dead Sea Scrolls about thirty years ago. They are interesting, but not nearly so important as they were first made out to be, when many people like Edmund Wilson were hoping that they would somehow disprove the truth of Christianity.

These scrolls could, conceivably, be more important. We'll see when they are opened.

[Asclepius]

Historians believe the rebels fled to the desert after the Romans crushed the revolt, hiding out in hillside caves dotted throughout the rugged terrain.

Sort of like a second century, Jewish Tora Bora.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I'm still waiting for the discovery of Palestinian Scrolls... I mean, there's GOTTA be some there... right? right?

;0)

[Fiddlstix]

Bump

[rmlew]

Historians believe the rebels fled to the desert after the Romans crushed the revolt, hiding out in hillside caves dotted throughout the rugged terrain.

Sort of like a second century, Jewish Tora Bora.

We preffer "like partisans after the Nazi invasion". The Romans did turn the Mediteranian red with Jewish blood and there were concurrent pogroms in Alexandria and Cyprus. (Go read Appian)

[Asclepius]

... We preffer "like partisans after the Nazi invasion". The Romans did turn the Mediteranian red with Jewish blood and there were concurrent pogroms in Alexandria and Cyprus. (Go read Appian) ...

A better analogy, surely.

[SunkenCiv]

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Thanks blam. Note: this topic is dated 11/19/2002. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.