A Bar-Kochba Weight

An unusual artifact a lead weight was found during excavation of an underground, man-made tunnel, about 2.5 kms. north of Beit Govrin in the Judean foothills, where Jewish rebels and their families had found shelter during the Second Jewish Revolt (the Bar Kochba revolt) against Rome in the years 132-35. The rectangular weight measures 9 x 7 cm., is 9 mm. thick and weighs 803 g. On both sides of the weight is an almost identical inscription in square Hebrew letters: Simeon ben Kosba president of Israel and his economic chief Peras

Bar-Kochba (Simeon ben Kosba) was the leader of the revolt. His name is well known from Jewish sources and from documents found in the Dead Sea region; the weight attests to his administration of the economy.

A Juglet containing Balsam from the Qumran area

A juglet dating to the Herodian period was found during survey and excavation of caves in the Judean desert. The juglet was hidden in a cave near Qumran, in the Dead Sea region. It was wrapped in palm fibers for protection and contained remnants of an oily liquid. The chemical composition of the substance could not be identified, but is believed to be the extract of a now-extinct plant probably balsam. This famous, costly substance from the oases of Jericho and Ein Gedi is known from written sources of the Roman period as a highly valued ingredient for medical and cosmetic products.

A Statue of the Emperor Hadrian

Some twenty years ago, parts of a bronze statue of the Emperor Hadrian were accidentally found by a tourist who, with a metal detector, was looking for coins some four kilometers south of Beit Shean. Only the upper parts were retrieved, but it is assumed that together with the missing parts, the statue was about two meters high. It is unique among known Roman imperial art in bronze; it portrays Hadrian as approximately 45 years old, his curly hair falling over his forehead and his expression solemn. He wears a tunic and armor over it, which imitates the anatomy of a mans chest and is decorated with a scene of battle. A belt is fastened around his waist.

The statue was probably placed in the camp of the Sixth Roman Legion in the Beit Shean valley, to mark the emperors visit to the region in the years 129-30.