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The Holy Land, also called the Syro-Palestinian region includes ancient Judaea and Palestine, and parts of ancient Phoenicia, Syria, and Arabia.
Kingdom of Judaea, First Temple Period, Pottery Wine Decanter or Beer Jug, 800 - 586 B.C.
This decanter form is the typical of the type unique to the Kingdom of Judaea during the First Temple Period. Historians debate what liquid this type of vessel would have contained. Wine seems likely, and decanter engraved with the word "wine" was recovered in excavations at the biblical Tel Lachish. Some, however, describe this decanter type as a beer jug!AA99540. Kingdom of Judaea, Decanter; Gitin I, p. 362, 3.3.7.2; Lachish V pl. 24, 11 & pl. 49, 6; Tushingham fig. 2, 11, Choice, complete and intact, 23cm (9 1/8") tall, 14cm (5 1/2") diameter, Iron Age IIB - IIC, 800 - 586 B.C.; well shaped, wheel made, pink-orange clay, conical mouth, rounded rim, conical neck, strap handle from the neck to the shoulder, broad sloping shoulder with carinated edge, sack shaped body, ring base; ex Mera Antiq (Yossi Eilon) Tel Aviv, found in Israel; $2400.00 SALE PRICE $2160.00
Judaea, Terracotta Pottery Four-Horned Votive Altar, c. 1st - 2nd Century A.D.
The book of Exodus relates that God gave Moses instructions..."You shall make the altar...five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar is to be square—and three cubits high. Make its horns on the four corners, the horns to be of one piece with it." Smaller four-horned pottery altars found in Israel date back to at least as early as the 10th Century B.C. (Dayagi-Mendels, p. 65). Our altar was probably intended as a votive gift to be filled with incense and left burning at a temple or shrine.AA99528. Terracotta pottery four-horned votive altar, Choice, complete and intact, small surface only crack in interior, light encrustations, 14.5cm (5 3/4") tall, 9.3cm (3 5/8") maximum width, c. 1st - 2nd Century A.D.; buff-pinkish-white clay (Munsell color 7.5YR 8/2), four horned altar: W-shaped cut on each of the four sides of the square mouth, a cylindrical column body, square stepped base with 4 legs; ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel), auction 65 (27 Sep 2018), lot 472; ex S.M. Collection (Herzliya Pituah, Israel); very rare; $2400.00 SALE PRICE $2160.00
Canaanite, Offering Vessel, Pottery Kernos with Four Pedestalled Bowls, c. 1700 - 900 B.C.
In the typology of ancient Greek pottery, the kernos (plural kernoi) is a cult offering vessel, with a pottery ring or stone tray to which are attached several small vessels for holding offerings. The Greek term is also applied to similar compound vessels from other cultures in the Mediterranean, the Levant, Mesopotamia, and South Asia. Amiran photo 350, is a kernos from Megiddo, dated Iron I, 1200 B.C. – 1000 B.C. It has a similar ring base. but with eight ornate vessels of various shapes attached. Amiran assumed it was used in the First Fruits offering and notes the form originated in the Mycenaean-Minoan world. Pande fig. 12 is simpler kernos with three small bowls on a ring (without the pedestals) from Mycenae, Middle Minoan III levels, 1700 - 1600 B.C. We do not know of another example with pedestalled bowls.AL23895. Canaanite kernos, cf. Pande fig. 12, see Amiran photo 350, Choice, reconstructed, c. 1700 - 900 B.C.; 12.5cm tall, buff clay kernos, four shallow bows, each on an individual column pedestal, joined at the sides, holes in the walls connecting them, the pedestals on a ring base, ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); very rare; $1950.00 SALE PRICE $1755.00
Byzantine Empire, Levante or Alexandria, c. 5th - 6th Century A.D., Jewish Menorah Lead Token
The purpose of Byzantine era lead tokens is unknown. Many appear closely related to seals differing only by the absence of a cord or channel for attachment to a container or document. Many late Roman and early Byzantine seals have a figural type on one side and a legend in two lines in Latin or Greek on the other side. Seals with a menorah are known, usually with a blank globular reverse, but some also have a name on the other side.JD98657. Lead token, personal token of Rodanos(?); Roma e-sale 53 (7 Feb 2019), lot 504 (same dies), VF, highlighting earthen deposit desert patina, weight 3.077 g, maximum diameter 14.1 mm, die axis 180o, c. 5th - 6th century A.D.; obverse Menorah of seven branches, flanked by lulav on left and etrog on right; reverse POΔA/NOY in two lines across field, palm frond above; ex CNG e-auction 435 (2 Jan 2019), lot 401; extremely rare; $1600.00 SALE PRICE $1440.00
Canaanite, Tell El Yahudiyeh Ware, Piriform Juglet, c. 1750 - 1550 B.C.
Vessels of this type are called Tell el-Yahudiyeh Ware, named for the site in Egypt were they were first identified by Flinders Petrie. Despite the name, it is now believed that the earliest and most specimens, mostly juglets, were made by Canaanites in what is now Israel and Jordan. They were likely used for perfumed oils. Tell el-Yahudiyeh Ware is covered with a very dark grey-brown, almost black, burnished slip. The decoration is incised and pricked, and the resulting lines and holes are filled with white chalk to contrast with the vessel's surface. The specimens in Kaplan with the form, size, and decoration, most similar to our juglet were found at Jericho, Beth Shemesh, and Amman.AA99531. Canaanite juglet; cf. Kaplan, piriform type 3, figs. 74a (form) & fig. 75a (decoration); Amiran pl. 36, 9 (different decoration), Choice, complete and intact, finely made, with elegant style, tiny chips in the rim and base; 15cm (6") tall, 10cm (4") maximum diameter; dark grey (Munsell color 5YR 4/1) slip, reverse everted rim, grooved strap handle from rim to the shoulder, narrow neck, inscribed decoration on shoulder - a band defined by two horizontal lines connected by dotted (pricked) vertical lines, piriform body, small ring base; ex Mera Antiq (Yossi Eilon, Tel Aviv), found in Israel; $1500.00 SALE PRICE $1350.00
Roman Judaea - Syria Palestina, Galilee, Kefar Hananya Ware, Kedera Cooking Pot, 1st - Early 5th Century A.D.
"The pots from Kefar Sihin and Kefar Hananya do not usually break." -- Rabbi Yossi, Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 120b
Kefar Hananya was best known for production of cooking pots characterized by red-brown clay, distinctive ribbing or wheel-ridging on the body of the vessel and two handles for placing and removing the pot from the fire. Production of these cooking pots at Kefar Hananya began around 50 CE and extended to at least 430 CE. Wide-mouthed pots, most of which did not have handles (lifsa), were common in the first century BCE but began to be surpassed by the smaller-mouthed, handled cooking pot (kedera) in the first century CE.AA99541. Judaean, kedera cooking pot, Adan-Bayewitz type 4E2 (simple rim variant), Crook fig. 4, Choice, complete and intact, two small rim chips; 14.0cm tall, 20.5cm diameter, predominantly reddish brown (Munsell color 2.5YR 5/8), some grayed areas, few white chalk grits, thin walls as typical, probably 4th century A.D.; simple rim, cylindrical neck, two strap handles from rim to shoulder, globular body with greatest diameter near the middle, wheel-ridged body and shoulder; base slightly pointed, ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel, 16 Apr 2015), with photocopy of Israel Antiquities Authority export approval certificate; $1400.00 SALE PRICE $1260.00
Roman Judaea - Syria Palestina, Galilee, Kefar Hananya Ware, Kedera Cooking Pot, 1st - Early 5th Century A.D.
"The pots from Kefar Sihin and Kefar Hananya do not usually break." -- Rabbi Yossi, Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 120b
Kefar Hananya was best known for production of cooking pots characterized by red-brown clay, distinctive ribbing or wheel-ridging on the body of the vessel and two handles for placing and removing the pot from the fire. Production of these cooking pots at Kefar Hananya began around 50 CE and extended to at least 430 CE. Wide-mouthed pots, most of which did not have handles (lifsa), were common in the first century BCE but began to be surpassed by the smaller-mouthed, handled cooking pot (kedera) in the first century CE.AA99526. Judaean, kedera cooking pot, Adan-Bayewitz type 4E1 (variant with ridge below lip), Choice, complete and intact; 11.0cm tall, 12.5cm diameter, predominantly reddish brown (Munsell color 2.5YR 5/6), some grayed areas, few white chalk grits, light encrustations, thin walls as typical, probably early 4th - early 5th century A.D.; exterior ridge below the lip, cylindrical neck, two strap handles from rim to shoulder, globular body with greatest diameter near the middle, wheel-ridged body and shoulder; base slightly pointed, ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel, 16 Apr 2015), with photocopy of Israel Antiquities Authority export approval certificate; $1400.00 SALE PRICE $1260.00
Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Ayin - 21.595g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.
This weight is the usual shape for the type, an inverted truncated pyramid - a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top. The type dates from perhaps as early as the the 9th century B.C. to the end of the Persian period. They were undoubtedly used to weigh silver bullion for transactions. Kletter lists nine weights with circle marks, ranging from 2.55g to 80.67g. Some, like ours, were incised with straight lines or punches. Most were found at Akko.AS111486. Phoenician, bronze trapezoid cube weight; cf. Hendin Weights 245 (21.63), Kletter 2000 25 (21.17g), Hecht A 47 (20.03g), Choice, 21.595g (3 shekels?), 14.3x16.6x12.9mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid (a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top), incised circle (Phoenician ayin) on top created with a 8 short straight line cuts, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $800.00 SALE PRICE $720.00
Roman, Syria Palestina, Bronze Scroll Case Amulet, 3rd - 5th Century A.D.
This amulet was used to hold a small rolled-up thin sheet, probably of vellum (since it is gone without a trace), but possibly of bronze, lead, or silver, inscribed with minuscule writing, likely text from the bible, a priestly blessing, or a magical spell for the protection of the wearer. New technology has allowed some of these tiny scrolls to be read, expanding our understanding of the history of both Judaism and Christianity. See our Scroll Amulet NumisWiki page for links to fascinating reads online!AS111474. Roman, Syria Palestina, scroll amulet with horizontal body used to contain scroll(s) and two loops for suspension, near Choice, partially flattened, missing fragments, mineral and earthen deposits, no scroll present, 39.0mm long, 3rd - 5th Century A.D.; ex Amphora Coins (David Hendin) with his 2017 photo authenticity receipt, ex Herbert Sterns Collection (purchased in Israel mid 1990s); $500.00 SALE PRICE $450.00
Canaanite, Carved Hematite Sphendonoid 5 Shekels Weight (41.049g), Late Bronze Age II, 14th - 13th Century B.C.
Sphendonoid weights are found in excavations from Egypt to Mesopotamia, dating from the Early Bronze Age to as late as the Iron Age. The style originated in Syria or Babylonia, but they are found corresponding to various weight systems including Babylonian, Phoenician, Syrian and Egyptian. This weight was presumably more precisely attributed and dated by the Archaeological Center with the benefit of find information.AS111498. cf. Hendin Weights 11; sphendonoid 5 shekel weight carved from hematite, polished, ellipsoid, Choice, 41.049g, 60.1mm long, 16.2mm diameter, Late Bronze Age II, 14th - 13th Century B.C.; ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel), auction 52 (9 Apr 2012), lot 166 (part of); $500.00 SALE PRICE $450.00
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The list above includes only references specifically dedicated to holy land antiquities. References not included in this list may be identified by clicking on them in the item description or on the Holy Land Antiquities page in NumisWiki.
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