Archaeology

A Jerusalem gem: Rediscovering the Rockefeller Museum’s treasures in Israel's capital

New tours of the Rockefeller Museum showcase artifacts ranging from First Temple-period jewelry to Egyptian pharaohs.

|ByBEN BRESKY
Front entrance to Jerusalem’s Rockefeller Museum, opened in 1938.
An ancient Egyptian collar stolen from the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Caboolture, Australia, February 20, 2026.

Suspect charged for stealing Egyptian artifacts from Australia museum, citing church ties - report

The stolen artifacts included a 26th Dynasty rare painted wooden Egyptian cat figure, a 3,300-year-old necklace, a collar, and a mummy mask.

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Original photograph of the artifact published in 1927 (L) and the actual artifact, February 20, 2026.

Newly identified ancient Egyptian copper drill rewrites history of region’s craftsmanship

The drill’s chemical composition was also surprising, study co-author Jiří Kmošek noted, as it is made up of an unusual copper alloy containing arsenic, nickel, lead, and silver. 

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Archaeologist Achiya Cohen-Tavor holding bronze scale pan found in the ancient Jewish settlement of Sussiya, February 19, 2026.

Bronze scale pan found in ancient Sussiya reveals how biblical law shaped daily Jewish life

Neta, a second-grader at the regional school in Sussiya, and her father, Nachshon, discovered the pan inside a residential building near the town’s main street. 

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM

Rare gold coin depicting Egyptian queen unearthed in Jerusalem

Discovered in the Givati parking lot of Jerusalem, the coin was minted for Queen Berenice II, wife of the Hellenistic ruler Ptolemy III of Egypt.

AUGUST 20, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
The rare coin with the portrait of Queen Berenice II.

Earliest proof of Neanderthals, Homo sapiens interbreeding discovered by Israeli archaeologists

Discovered approximately 90 years ago, the fossil was reanalyzed using advanced micro-CT scanning and 3D modeling.

AUGUST 20, 2025ByJOANIE MARGULIES
The skull of the child from Israel's Skhul Cave, showing the typical cranial curvature of Homo sapiens.

Archaeologists uncover ‘oldest nursing home' in Israel

While historical texts from the fifth and sixth centuries mention nursing homes, this is the first time a clear, physical artifact has been found that can be directly linked to them.

AUGUST 18, 2025ByJOANIE MARGULIES
An ancient Byzantine-era mosaic in Hippos-Sussita, Israel, which reads "Peace on the elders." It is believed to be a sign of an ancient institution that cared for the elderly.

First-of-its-kind discovery: Ancient coin from Second Temple Era reveals rebel mindset

The rare bronze coin engraved in Hebrew with 'For the Redemption of Zion' was found near the southwest corner of the Temple Mount in the Jerusalem Archaeological Garden – Davidson Center.

JULY 31, 2025ByJOANIE MARGULIES
The reverse of the coin features a lulav flanked by two etrogs, with the inscription “Year Four.”

New website helps you plan a self-guided trip to northern Israel

This rich source of suggestions for family activities, hikes, and sightseeing includes details such as directions, admission fees, historical background, nearby attractions, and more.

JULY 27, 2025ByABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN
AN AERIAL view of Ganei Huga near Beit She’an

Archaeologists find 2,000-year-old gold ring in excavation of Israeli national park

“I was amazed by the find. To my delight, I also discovered a pair of gold earrings, but the ring, with its small and unique design, really moved me," volunteer Eddie Lipsman said.

JULY 24, 2025ByYOAV ETIEL, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A 2000-year-old gold ring discovered during excavations in Susita National Park.

Ancient Christian settlement unearthed in Jordan, illuminating Middle East's religious past

Archaeologists uncovered the long-forgotten Byzantine settlement of Tharais.

JULY 14, 2025ByJOANIE MARGULIES
One of the two statues uncovered by archaeologists in the southeastern Jordanian desert is pictured during a news conference in Amman, Jordan February 22, 2022. (illustrative)

Ritual donkey sacrifice in Israel provides insights into ancient Egyptian trade

The donkeys, found buried under a Bronze Age house in ancient Gath, near Tell es-Safi, were determined to have originated from ancient Egypt.

JULY 10, 2025ByJOANIE MARGULIES
A decapitated donkey found in Tell es-Safi, south Israel, July 2025.

Ancient proteins found in fossils up to 24 million years old

Proteins, a cell's molecular machinery, also offer valuable information and have the virtue of surviving much longer, as new research shows.

JULY 9, 2025ByREUTERS
A paleontologist cleaning a skeleton during an archaeology dig; illustrative.

Opening of Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum gets postponed yet again

The grand opening of the GEM, which was set for July 3 – much delayed by revolutions, wars, financial crises, and the COVID pandemic – has been postponed yet again.

JULY 5, 2025ByGIL ZOHAR
 A view of the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, in April 2025.