Ophel Treasure
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| Ophel treasure | |
|---|---|
| Type | Treasure hoard |
| Material | Gold |
| Symbols | Menorah, Shofar, Torah |
| Discovered | 2013 Jerusalem, at the foot of the Temple Mount |
| Discovered by | Eilat Mazar |
| Present location | Israel Museum, Jerusalem |
| Culture | Byzantine |
The Ophel treasure is a 1,400-year-old collection of 36 gold coins and a large gold medallion discovered in 2013 on the foot of Jerusalem's Temple Mount by archeologist Eilat Mazar. The medallion is engraved with Jewish symbols like a seven-branched menorah, a shofar and a Torah scroll.[1]
Mazar dated her findings to the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614 BCE.
After the Persians conquered Jerusalem, many Jews returned to the city and formed the majority of its population. According to Lior Sandberg, numismatics specialist at the Institute of Archaeology, "the 36 gold coins can be dated to the reigns of different Byzantine emperors, ranging from the middle of the fourth century CE to the early seventh century CE...The cache was abandoned most probably after the Persian conquest of Jerusalem and after the Persians changed their attitude to the Jews and allowed their expulsion from the city. The fact that the gold was not properly hidden nor taken back attests to the tragic circumstances that led to its abandonment."[2][3]