Last week, Israeli researchers discovered a rare collection of ancient coins, calling the find an “archaeological Hanukkah miracle.”
The coins are more than 2,000 years old and are believed to belong to King Alexander Ianeus, the second ruler of the Hasmonean dynasty that ruled Judea in the last centuries BCE, according to the University of Haifa in Israel.
Archaeologists found a hoard of about 160 coins during ongoing excavations in the Jordan River Valley, which runs between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan's eastern border. The project is led by researchers from the University of Haifa and the Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University said in a newscast translated from Hebrew.
The ancient coins were found on Friday, the third day of Hanukkah. Researchers noted the importance of this time, as Alexander Yanai came from the leaders of the uprising in 167. to n. e., which, according to the Talmud, led to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the first celebration of Hanukkah.
University of Haifa
Each coin bears inscriptions that include an eight-pointed star and the phrase “King Alexander 25” written in Aramaic, one of the world's oldest known languages, which originated in the region around modern-day Syria and is closely related to Arabic and Hebrew. According to the University of Haifa, these types of coins date to around 80 BC.
“The place where the treasure was found appears to be an intermediate station that has not been recognized in research until now,” said Shai Bar, one of the leaders of the excavation, in a statement at the university. Barr said the station included a purification bath used for religious rituals and a water storage area in addition to other buildings. It is located along the main road leading to the fortress of Alexandrion, built on top of a mountain in the Jordan Valley by Alexander Jannaeus.
University of Haifa
Barr said at the university that students and volunteers participated in the dig that uncovered the monarch's ancient coins. He said they were especially excited to find the treasure trove during Hanukkah.
“This gave the holiday a special meaning for them, including during the difficult days that our people are going through now,” Barr said. “It is my hope that this site will become a crowd-puller and will be added to our nation's archaeological sites and heritage sites.”
Hanukkah began on December 25 this year and is celebrated for eight days, ending this Thursday, January 2.