A Hoard of Ptolemaic Coins found in Murabba'at Cave II in the Judean Desert

Eitan Klein; Gabriela Bijovsky; Amir Ganor; Hagay Hamer; Oriya Amichay; Chaim Cohen; Esther Eshel; Mark Cavanagh; Dafna Langgut; Eitan Kremer; Yigal Sitry; Naama Sukenik

A Hoard of Ptolemaic Coins found in Murabba'at Cave II in the Judean Desert

Eitan Klein, Gabriela Bijovsky, Amir Ganor, Hagay Hamer, Oriya Amichay, Chaim Cohen, Esther Eshel, Mark Cavanagh, Dafna Langgut, Eitan Kremer, Yigal Sitry, Naama Sukenik

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Murabba‘at Cave II is situated in the cliffy area on the northern bank of Nahal Darga, about 2 km west of the Dead Sea. It is a complex cave formed by the dissolution of Shivta-Formation limestone below the water table. Its total length is approximately 90 m and it has three levels. Previous excavations have shown the cave to be one of the richest in the Judean Desert in terms of finds from various periods. Among the many finds was an ancient wooden box containing a Ptolemaic coin-hoard from the reign of Ptolemy VI, which was discovered in a crevice near a shaft leading down to the interior cavities. This article presents and discusses the hoard, a typical emergency hoard, with all its components, while considering its geographical-historical context. Several possible historical events may have led to the hoard’s deposition, mainly the Sixth Syrian War and the Maccabean Revolt.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	53-92
Number of pages	40
Journal	Atiqot
Volume	112
State	Published - 2023

Funding

Funders	Funder number
Artifact Treatment Department of the Israel Antiquities Authority
Ashkelon Academic College
Dafna Gazit
Shiri Ellenbogen
Israel Science Foundation	1880/17, 1143/19
Tel Aviv University

Keywords

Coins
Hoard
Ptolemy VI
Purse
Wood Pyxis

Cite this

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title = "A Hoard of Ptolemaic Coins found in Murabba'at Cave II in the Judean Desert",

abstract = "Murabba{\textquoteleft}at Cave II is situated in the cliffy area on the northern bank of Nahal Darga, about 2 km west of the Dead Sea. It is a complex cave formed by the dissolution of Shivta-Formation limestone below the water table. Its total length is approximately 90 m and it has three levels. Previous excavations have shown the cave to be one of the richest in the Judean Desert in terms of finds from various periods. Among the many finds was an ancient wooden box containing a Ptolemaic coin-hoard from the reign of Ptolemy VI, which was discovered in a crevice near a shaft leading down to the interior cavities. This article presents and discusses the hoard, a typical emergency hoard, with all its components, while considering its geographical-historical context. Several possible historical events may have led to the hoard{\textquoteright}s deposition, mainly the Sixth Syrian War and the Maccabean Revolt.",

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author = "Eitan Klein and Gabriela Bijovsky and Amir Ganor and Hagay Hamer and Oriya Amichay and Chaim Cohen and Esther Eshel and Mark Cavanagh and Dafna Langgut and Eitan Kremer and Yigal Sitry and Naama Sukenik",

year = "2023",

language = "אנגלית",

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journal = "Atiqot",

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AU - Klein, Eitan

AU - Bijovsky, Gabriela

AU - Ganor, Amir

AU - Hamer, Hagay

AU - Amichay, Oriya

AU - Cohen, Chaim

AU - Eshel, Esther

AU - Cavanagh, Mark

AU - Langgut, Dafna

AU - Kremer, Eitan

AU - Sitry, Yigal

AU - Sukenik, Naama

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Murabba‘at Cave II is situated in the cliffy area on the northern bank of Nahal Darga, about 2 km west of the Dead Sea. It is a complex cave formed by the dissolution of Shivta-Formation limestone below the water table. Its total length is approximately 90 m and it has three levels. Previous excavations have shown the cave to be one of the richest in the Judean Desert in terms of finds from various periods. Among the many finds was an ancient wooden box containing a Ptolemaic coin-hoard from the reign of Ptolemy VI, which was discovered in a crevice near a shaft leading down to the interior cavities. This article presents and discusses the hoard, a typical emergency hoard, with all its components, while considering its geographical-historical context. Several possible historical events may have led to the hoard’s deposition, mainly the Sixth Syrian War and the Maccabean Revolt.

AB - Murabba‘at Cave II is situated in the cliffy area on the northern bank of Nahal Darga, about 2 km west of the Dead Sea. It is a complex cave formed by the dissolution of Shivta-Formation limestone below the water table. Its total length is approximately 90 m and it has three levels. Previous excavations have shown the cave to be one of the richest in the Judean Desert in terms of finds from various periods. Among the many finds was an ancient wooden box containing a Ptolemaic coin-hoard from the reign of Ptolemy VI, which was discovered in a crevice near a shaft leading down to the interior cavities. This article presents and discusses the hoard, a typical emergency hoard, with all its components, while considering its geographical-historical context. Several possible historical events may have led to the hoard’s deposition, mainly the Sixth Syrian War and the Maccabean Revolt.

KW - Coins

KW - Hoard

KW - Ptolemy VI

KW - Purse

KW - Wood Pyxis

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A Hoard of Ptolemaic Coins found in Murabba'at Cave II in the Judean Desert

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

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