{"id":27555,"date":"2025-08-24T14:21:43","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T11:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reganews.co.il\/en\/?p=27555"},"modified":"2025-08-24T14:21:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T11:21:43","slug":"israels-archaeological-breakthroughs-reveal-a-fragile-heritage-and-unexpected-discoveries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reganews.co.il\/en\/israels-archaeological-breakthroughs-reveal-a-fragile-heritage-and-unexpected-discoveries\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel\u2019s Archaeological Breakthroughs Reveal a Fragile Heritage and Unexpected Discoveries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Archaeologists in Israel are battling against time to save a 1,500-year-old Byzantine mosaic in the Gaza border region, while two major discoveries elsewhere in the country are reshaping our understanding of the ancient past: a rare gold coin of Queen Berenice II in Jerusalem, and evidence of a money-based economy in Israel more than a millennium before coins were invented.<\/p>\n

Together, these efforts and findings highlight both the urgency of protecting Israel\u2019s fragile heritage and the depth of history embedded in its soil.<\/p>\n

Rescuing the Byzantine mosaic near the Gaza border
\n<\/strong>On the eroding banks of Nahal Besor<\/em>, near Horvat Gerarit<\/em> west of Kibbutz Be\u2019eri, a dramatic salvage mission is underway. A 6th-century Byzantine church and its mosaic floor\u2014first uncovered in 1917\u2014are at risk of being lost forever due to soil collapse and erosion.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Rescuing the ancient mosaic | Photo: Lior Shoimer, Israel Nature and Parks Authority<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the Israel Antiquities Authority have launched a delicate operation to uncover, clean, and prepare the remains for relocation. While sections of the mosaic had been preserved decades ago, much still lies exposed and in poor condition.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

“We usually avoid moving antiquities from their original location, but in this case if we don\u2019t act, all will be lost,” said Orit Bortnik, director of Archaeology and Heritage at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Ami Shahar, Conservation Department Head at the Israel Antiquities Authority, added: “Saving these remains means ensuring that the story of the community that once thrived here is not erased.”<\/p>\n

Rare gold coin of Queen Berenice II unearthed in Jerusalem
\n<\/strong>While the Gaza envelope mosaic is being rescued from nature\u2019s destruction, a remarkable discovery in Jerusalem is shedding light on a different chapter of history. In the City of David excavations, archaeologists have unearthed a 2,200-year-old gold coin bearing the portrait of Queen Berenice II of Egypt\u2014one of only about 20 known worldwide, and the first ever found in a controlled excavation.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The coin, front and back | Photo: Eliyahu Yanai, City of David<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Coin analysis | Photo: Emil Aljam, Israel Antiquities Authority<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Made of nearly pure gold, the coin shows Berenice with a crown, veil, and necklace. Its reverse side depicts a cornucopia with stars and the inscription \u201cof Queen Berenice\u201d in Greek, marking her as a powerful figure in her own right during the Ptolemaic dynasty.<\/p>\n

Excavator Rebecca Langler recalled: “I was sifting the soil when I suddenly saw something shining. At first I couldn\u2019t believe it\u2014but within seconds I was running with excitement across the site.”<\/p>\n

Watch the discovery:<\/p>\n