Support the preservation of the magnificent 10th century BCE archaeological site at the foot of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where this unprecedented discoverywas recently made.
All net proceeds from the sale of the sterling silver gold-plated Ophel Treasure Necklace, a replica of what may be the oldest Torah ornament ever found, go directly to The Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority. This 501(c)3 organization supports the invaluable work of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The IAA is in charge of all matters of archaeology in the country and custodian of nearly two million national treasures, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and tens of thousands of archaeological sites.
Last April, a Hebrew University team led by archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar was excavating at the Ophel First Temple Period Gardens in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park where Mazar had previously uncovered massive, likely royal structures consistent with the construction of King Solomon, as described in the Bible. The Ophel First Temple Period Gardens, which were opened to the public in 2011, contain the first evidence of building attributed to King Solomon ever discovered in Jerusalem. On this April day, the team was shocked to find a hidden golden treasure dating from the 7th century CE. The cache included 26 gold coins ranging from a 200-year period, jewelry and a magnificent 4-inch wide pure gold medallion etched with Jewish symbols: a menorah, a shofar and a Torah scroll.
“It is interesting that even then, over 500 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, we see the menorah in an original illustration,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “This is historic testimony, of the highest order, to the Jewish People’s link to Jerusalem, to its land and to its heritage – menorah, shofar, Torah scroll. The essence of the Jewish People could not be any more succinct and clear. This is a wonderful gift to the Jewish People.”
Dubbed the “Ophel Treasure”, this new discovery also sheds light on a little-known period of history when the Persians, who had conquered Jerusalem in the year 614 CE, welcomed the Jews back to their holy city only to suddenly expel them again.
To purchase the Ophel Treasure Necklace, whose net proceeds will be used to preserve the Ophel First Temple Period Gardens, and is crafted by 4th-generation Jerusalem jeweler Danny Eliav, click here.
Support the preservation of the magnificent 10th century BCE archaeological site at the foot of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where this unprecedented discoverywas recently made.All net proceeds from the sale of the sterling silver gold-plated Ophel Treasure Necklace, a replica of what may be the oldest Torah ornament ever found, go directly to The Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority, a 501(c)3 organization that supports the invaluable work of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The IAA is in charge of all matters of archaeology in the country and custodian of nearly two million national treasures, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, and tens of thousands of archaeological sites.
Last April, a Hebrew University team led by archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar was excavating at the Ophel First Temple Period Gardens in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park where Mazar had previously uncovered massive, likely royal structures consistent with the construction of King Solomon, as described in the Bible. The Ophel First Temple Period Gardens, which were opened to the public in 2011, contain the first evidence of building attributed to King Solomon ever discovered in Jerusalem. On this April day, the team was shocked to find a hidden golden treasure dating from the 7th century CE. The cache included 26 gold coins ranging from a 200-year period, jewelry, and a magnificent 4-inch wide pure gold medallion etched with Jewish symbols: a menorah, a shofar and a Torah scroll.
“It is interesting that even then, over 500 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, we see the menorah in an original illustration,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “This is historic testimony, of the highest order, to the Jewish People’s link to Jerusalem, to its land and to its heritage – menorah, shofar, Torah scroll. The essence of the Jewish People could not be any more succinct and clear. This is a wonderful gift to the Jewish People.”
Dubbed the “Ophel Treasure”, this new discovery also sheds light on a little-known period of history when the Persians, who had conquered Jerusalem in the year 614 CE, welcomed the Jews back to their holy city only to suddenly expel them again.
To purchase the Ophel Treasure Necklace, whose net proceeds will be used to preserve the Ophel First Temple Period Gardens, and is crafted by 4th-generation Jerusalem jeweler Danny Eliav, click here.