{"id":12353,"date":"2025-01-02T11:28:18","date_gmt":"2025-01-02T16:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/?p=12353"},"modified":"2025-01-02T11:28:18","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T16:28:18","slug":"archaeologists-announce-discovery-of-rare-1700-year-old-oil-lamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/christnewstoday\/2025\/01\/archaeologists-announce-discovery-of-rare-1700-year-old-oil-lamp.html","title":{"rendered":"Archaeologists Announce Discovery of Rare 1,700-Year-Old Oil Lamp"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Israel Antiquities Authority \/ Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) recently released a statement on its Facebook<\/a> announcing the discovery of an \u201cextremely rare\u201d oil lamp found near the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. \u201cA rare ceramic oil lamp from the Late Roman period, decorated with depictions of the Temple menorah, incense shovel and lulav (date palm branch used in Jewish ritual), was recently uncovered during an Israel Antiquities Authority archaeological dig near the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. This unique find, which, judging by the soot marks on its nozzle, was used for lighting about 1,700 years ago, provides a fascinating glimpse into Jewish cultural and religious life during this period,\u201d the IAA announced.<\/p>\n

Michael Chernin, excavation director on behalf of the IAA, noted the lamp\u2019s \u201cexquisite workmanship\u201d and stated that finding the lamp in such a complete condition made it \u201cextremely rare.\u201d \u201cThe menorah, incense shovel and lulav are symbols associated with the Jewish connection to the Temple. This finding is particularly surprising, since, we have very little evidence of the existence of a Jewish settlement in and around Jerusalem from this period.\u201d Christianity became the favored religion during the late Roman period, with Jews facing persecution, leaving little evidence to what their lives were like during the 4th<\/sup> century. \u201cAfter the Roman emperor Hadrian suppressed the Bar Kochba rebellion in 135 CE, Jews were expelled from the city. The Mount of Olives lamp is one of the few material traces of a Jewish presence around Jerusalem in the 3rd-5th centuries CE,\u201d said Chernin.<\/p>\n

The image of the menorah is especially timely given that Hannukah began on Christmas day, December 25, and will last until January 2. Benjamin Storchan, IAA research archaeologist, described the lamp as a rare \u201cBeit Nattif\u201d type. Storchan described the lamp\u2019s design as taking \u201ca great deal of time.\u201d Minister of Heritage Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu stated the lamp\u2019s craftsmanship highlighted the importance of the Second Temple to the Jews. \u201cThis unique oil lamp, which in an exciting manner bears the symbols of the Temple, connects the lights of the past with the Chanukah holiday of today, and expresses the deep and long-standing connection of the nation of Israel to its heritage and to the Temple\u2019s memory.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lamp is currently being displayed at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel. The Campus is currently hosting the Ministry of Heritage conference. The IAA released a video<\/a> of the find with further information, calling the discovery a \u201cHannukah miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) recently released a statement on its Facebook announcing the discovery of an \u201cextremely rare\u201d oil lamp found near the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. \u201cA rare ceramic oil lamp from the Late Roman period, decorated with depictions of the Temple menorah, incense shovel and lulav (date palm branch used in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":627,"featured_media":12350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[102,7,74],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archaeology","category-christian-news","category-exorcism"],"yoast_head":"\nArchaeologists Announce Discovery of Rare 1,700-Year-Old Oil Lamp<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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