The site is widely identified with the ancient village of Bet Zecharia, where the Seleucid army and the forces of Judah Maccabee clashed in what is known as the fifth Maccabean battle.
Israel’s Heritage Minister, Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu, called the discovery: “tangible and moving evidence of Jerusalem’s might and stature during the Hasmonean period.”
The experts who analysed the coins believe, based on the dates on the coins, that the discovery unburied a treasure which was buried between A.D. 280 and 310.
Research published in the Internet Archaeology Journal found that the pits are man-made and were constructed during the late Neolithic period, making them over 4,000 years old.
The slaves lived on the ground floor, in rat-infested 16-square-meter cells that contained up to three people, but archaeologists think their nutrition was enhanced to keep up their productivity.
A targeted operation at "Burj Lasana," in Area B, near Wadi Haramiya, recovered Crusader- and Byzantine-era items from a villa built inside the site.
“It sheds light on the architectural style and the function of the site, which is not mentioned by Josephus, our only historical source for the period,” Dr. Raviv, director of the excavation, said.
Scientists say microscopic magnetite fossils may have enabled an ancient creature to detect Earth’s magnetic field, offering clues to how early species navigated long distances.
“Even a seemingly modest site can provide important clues for reconstructing past environments and climates," the researchers wrote.
Chinese archaeologists uncovered the largest Ming Dynasty cannon ever found during excavations at the Great Wall’s Jiankou section, alongside rare artifacts and ancient structures.
Turkey's Stone Mounds Project, including Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe, features the world's oldest structures for gathering and rituals, dating to 9,500 BCE.
