Gold treasure survives 1,400 years at ancient Christian monastery in biblical Judean Desert

Key Highlights

• The announcement was made by Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) this month.
• The ancient treasure was found at the Hyrcania archaeological site in the northern Judean Desert, located around ten miles east of Jerusalem in the West Bank. The treasure consisted of two gold coins and a delicate gold ring.
• Despite the site being vulnerable to antiquities looting in the past, the artifacts miraculously survived 1,400 years.
• The site was founded in the late Hellenistic period, between the second and first centuries BC, when it was used as a fortress.
• CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Israeli archaeologists uncovered gold coins and a ring at the Hyrcania site (seen left), highlighting Christian activity in the Judean Desert during the Byzantine era.