A rare clay oil lamp from the Hasmonean era was uncovered at the Nebi Samwil archaeological site northwest of Jerusalem on Sunday evening, the first night of Hanukkah, the Civil Administration’s Archaeology Unit’s head, Benyamin Har-Even, said.
The lamp, exposed during work led by Har-Even, was found together with a Second Temple-period writing instrument believed to have been used on wax tablets. According to the unit, the discovery offers fresh evidence of Jewish life and settlement continuity around Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago.
These findings were located during ongoing excavation, documentation, and preservation activities at the hilltop complex, which rises about 885 meters above sea level and overlooks routes into the capital.
The archaeology unit said the artifacts add to a growing corpus of Second Temple-era material recovered in recent years across the West Bank.
Archaeologists identified the lamp as a Hasmonean-era vessel typical of domestic use and ritual light, consistent with material culture from the late second to early first centuries BCE.
The accompanying stylus-like implement indicates writing on wax tablets, a practice attested in the period’s administrative and educational contexts, the unit said. Together, the objects illuminate facets of daily and communal life near Jerusalem during the era commemorated by Hanukkah.
Artifacts to undergo analysis, conservation
Officials added that the artifacts will undergo conservation and analysis prior to public display. Their context will be integrated into the site’s stratigraphy to strengthen dating and provenance.
“With the lighting of the first candle of Hanukkah, a holiday that symbolizes the steadfastness of the Jewish people in their land, we are privileged to be part of a moving discovery that once again illustrates the deep roots of our people in the Land of Israel,” Har-Even said.
“The discovery of artifacts from the Hasmonean period strengthens the historical and cultural bond of the Jewish people to their land and underscores the importance of the research and excavation work we lead to preserve this heritage. We will continue to act with dedication to deepen the research and preserve the archaeological sites in Judea and Samaria for the benefit of future generations. Happy Hanukkah.”