Gold treasure survives 1,400 years at ancient Christian monastery in biblical Judean Desert

Israeli archaeologists recently unearthedancient goldat a former Christian monastery in the Judean Desert.

The announcement was made by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) this month.The ancient treasure was found at theHyrcania archaeological sitein the northern Judean Desert, located around ten miles east of Jerusalem in the West Bank.

The treasure consisted of two gold coins and a delicate gold ring.Despite the site being vulnerable to antiquities looting in the past, the artifacts miraculously survived 1,400 years.

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The site was founded in the late Hellenistic period, between the second and first centuries BC, when it was used as a fortress.

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Israeli archaeologists uncovered gold coins and a ring at the Hyrcania site (seen left), highlighting Christian activity in the Judean Desert during the Byzantine era.(iStock;COGAT Spokesperson’s Office)

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The gold coins weresolidiand bore the image of Heraclius, who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 610 to 641 AD.

According to COGAT, the finds “attest to Christian activity in the region during the Byzantine era.”

“During theByzantine period,with the development of Judean Desert monasticism, a Christian monastery was established at the site, attributed to the activity of Saint Sabbas, one of the founders of desert monasticism, which operated for hundreds of years,” the agency’s press release noted.

The discovery at Hyrcania includes two gold solidi that survived roughly 1,400 years despite past looting.(COGAT Spokesperson’s Office)

“As an Israeli body operating in the area and entrusted with safeguarding its historical heritage, the Archaeology Unit at the Civil Administration sees great importance in preserving and researching sites from all periods and communities that have operated here over the generations,” said Har-Even.

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“Our work is intended to protect the past, enable its study, and make it accessible to everyone.”

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The discovery isn’t the only Judean Desert find that made international headlines this year.

Israeli officials say the gold ring offers rare physical evidence of Byzantine-era Christian activity in the region.(COGAT Spokesperson’s Office)

Earlier in 2025, archaeologists came across a“mysterious pyramid-shaped structure”dating back 2,200 years in the desert.

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The structure is made of hand-hewn stones with each stone weighing hundreds of pounds.

�s Ashley DiMella contributed reporting.