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New York Post

Gold treasure with link to Ark of the Covenant stuns scientists: ‘Everyone marveled at the special find'

In a shocking archaeological discovery, an ancient gold ring has been unearthed at the City of David — the ancient heart of Jerusalem. The small gold ring, adorned with a red gemstone, is believed to date back roughly 2,300 years. The finding was made at the Givati Parking Lot during excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, funded by the Elad Association, within the Jerusalem Walls National Park. Advertisement 3 A small, gold ring, adorned with a red gemstone, was recently unearthed at the Givati Parking Lot during excavations. Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authority It was found steps away from the Temple of Jerusalem, the last place the Ark of the Covenant, which held the Ten Commandments, is believed to have been located. A researcher, who was sifting soil in the area, pulled the gold ring — the second found in the area in less than a year — out of the dirt. Advertisement 'At first, he was sure it must be a modern item dropped by one of our excavators, but when I examined the ring, I immediately assessed it as something ancient. We called over the archaeologists, everyone gathered around us and marveled at the special find; It was very exciting,' Rivka Lengler, a member of the excavation team, recounted in a statement. The jewelry likely belonged to a young girl from the Second Temple period, which includes the Early Hellenistic period. 3 The piece is the second found in the area in less than a year. Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authority The expert quickly noticed the similarities between the newest find and the ring that was collected just a few months before. Advertisement The rings were uncovered in the foundation layer of a grand structure, which also yielded an array of other jewelry, including bronze earrings, a gold earring with an animal motif, and a decorated gold bead. 'This is the first time that we have found in Jerusalem such a large assemblage of gold jewelry from that period,' said excavation manager Efrat Bocher. 3 The discovery was made within the Jerusalem Walls National Park. Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authority 'This displayed wealth is very rare in any archaeological layer, and it attests to the wealth of Jerusalem and the high standard of living of the city's residents during this period.' Advertisement Archaeologists believe the jewelry was part of a tradition marking the transition from childhood to adulthood, where young women who were engaged to be married buried childhood items — like jewelry — to signify a life change. Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, added, 'The discovery of these rings is a testament to Jerusalem's historical wealth and significance. This is 'Jerusalem of Gold' in its truest, most tangible form — an enduring legacy uncovered beneath our very feet.' Researchers hope the dig helps to better understand the connection between the neighborhood and the temple, 'but at this stage, we have no clear way of understanding the nature of that relationship,' Prof. Yuval Gadot from Tel Aviv University, the excavation director, told the Times of Israel. 'In order to understand more about Jerusalem's identity in the Hellenistic period, we are going to need more discoveries and research.' Earlier this year, a religious shrine sealed up by the ancestors of Jesus — and preserved for nearly 3,000 years — was discovered at the City of David.