Jerusalem: In a remarkable archaeological find, a 1,700-year-old porcelain oil lamp adorned with symbols tied to the Jewish Temple was unearthed near Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) revealed the discovery emphasizing its historical and cultural significance.
“This 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’s memory,” said Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu, Israel’s Heritage Minister.
A Rare Artifact of Jewish Life
The lamp, referred to as a “Beit Nattif” lamp after the style of production workshops discovered near Bet Shemesh in the 1930s, features intricate designs created using precision-carved limestone molds. Symbols such as the Temple menorah, an incense shovel, and a lulav—a date palm branch used during the Jewish Sukkot holiday—embellish the artifact, directly linking it to Jewish Temple practices.
“The lamp’s superb artistic craftsmanship, which was discovered intact, makes it an outstanding and extremely rare discovery,” stated Michael Chernin, director of excavations.
Context and Historical Significance
This discovery is particularly significant as it offers rare evidence of Jewish presence in Jerusalem between the third and fifth centuries CE. After the Roman Emperor Hadrian’s suppression of the Bar Kochba revolt in 135 CE, Jews were expelled from the city, and there is limited archaeological evidence of their presence in subsequent centuries.
According to Benjamin Storchan, a research archaeologist with the IAA, the lamp likely served as a personal memento and a symbol of religious devotion. “As a vessel for illumination, the lamp may have evoked the feeling of lighting the Temple menorah,” he explained.
Connecting Past to Present
Chanukah, which began on Wednesday evening, commemorates the Maccabee uprising against the Seleucid King Antiochus IV and the rededication of the Second Temple. Lighting the menorah during the festival echoes the historical connection embodied by the ancient lamp.
The artifact will be displayed to the public during the Chanukah celebrations in Jerusalem, further connecting this extraordinary find with the living traditions of the Jewish people.
