Israel Museum, Jerusalem (IJM)

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Circlets

Nahal Qanah Cave, Western Samaria

Chalcolithic period, 4500-3500 BCE

Gold and electrum

Average outer diam.: 4.6 cm

Staff Archaeological Officer in the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria

Accession number: K11237

Archaeology/Chalcolithic & Canaanite Periods

In a natural cave used for burial, eight precious circlets were discovered next to the bones of one of the deceased. Together, the circlets weigh almost a kilogram. Six are made of electrum (70% gold and 30% silver) and two are pure gold. Mined in southern Egypt, this is the oldest gold ever found in the land, and among the oldest in the entire world. The circlets were cast in open molds of sand of clay. They do not appear to be jewelry, but may have served as ingots.

Photo © Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Nahum Slapak

Gold or Electrum Circlets, Cave of the Treasures, Judean Desert

Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel. Complete indexed photo collection at WorldHistoryPics.com.

Gary Todd. Taken on July 5, 2018

CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0)

Plaque depicting a Canaanite goddess with Hathor features

Lachish

Late Bronze Age, 14th century BCE

Gold

H: 20.4; W: 11.2 cm

Israel Antiquities Authority

IAA: 1978-1

Archaeology/Chalcolithic & Canaanite Periods

Star-shaped ornaments to be applied to divine garments

Assyria(?)

1st millennium BCE

Gold

Diam: 2.4 cm

Gift of Jeannette and Jonathan Rosen, New York, to American Friends of the Israel Museum

Accession number: 87.056.0885

Archaeology/Western Asiatic Antiquities

The star was the Akkadian cuneiform sign for divinity, and the eight-pointed star specifically symbolized Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, identified with the planet Venus. According to ancient texts, gold stars were applied to the garments of divine images as ornaments. Thus, these stars might have decorated a cultic vestment dedicated to a deity.

Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Daric coin of Artaxerses III

Persian period

Daric (gold)

Mint: Persia, 4th century BCE

Diam: 13–14 mm; Weight: 8.33 gr

Harry Stern Collection, bequest of Kurt Stern, London

Accession number: 76.01438

Archaeology/Numismatics

Obv.: King kneeling r. and shooting arrow

Rev.: A single oblong incuse with irregular ground

Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Gold jewelry

Provenance unknown

Late Bronze Age, 13th century BCE

Gold

Gift of Jeannette and Jonathan Rosen, New York, to American Friends of the Israel Museum

Accession number: 92.17.170-258

Archaeology/Chalcolithic & Canaanite Periods

Drop-shaped pendants

En Hame‘ara

Early Bronze Age, 3000-2650 BCE

Gold

H: 1.4; W: 0.7 cm

IAA: 1988-7/1-3

Archaeology/Chalcolithic & Canaanite Periods

Finger ring

Azor

Early Bronze Age, 3500-3000 BCE

Gold

Diam: 1.3 cm

Israel Antiquities Authority

IAA: 1970-1677

Archaeology/Chalcolithic & Canaanite Periods