Authorities seize 1,800 rare and ancient artifacts suspected as stolen from archeological sites
About 1,800 antique coins, jewellery and stamps, pottery plates with inscriptions, and an ancient bronze figurine were seized this week at the home of a resident of the city of Modi’in in the centre of the country, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced Thursday.
Some of the seized coins. (Yoli Schwartz/IAA)
Among the objects seized were rare coins of great value and scientific importance, including silver coins from the Persian period, coins from the Hasmonean period over 2,000 years old, a silver shekel coin from the Great Revolt, silver coins from the Hellenistic period, bronze coins from the Roman period, and coins bearing the first name of the leader of the Bar Kochba Revolt – Shimon.
The search, by inspectors of the IAA’s Robbery Prevention Unit with the assistance of police officers, was carried out on Sunday with a court order, following suspicion that the owner of the house was engaged in antiquities trade without a license.
During the search, the inspectors noticed that some of the coins and items were still dirtied with fresh dirt. According to the suspicion, these objects recently came from illegal excavations from ancient sites around the country.
“It is heartbreaking to think of the many antiquities sites that were destroyed by merchants to make money,” said Ilan Haddad, the IAA’s antiquities trade commissioner. “This is our history that can no longer be reconstructed.”
A special silver coin of the ritual shekel was seized in the suspect’s study. This is a Jewish coin from the days of the Great Revolt – 67 CE, on which on one side appears the inscription “Holy Jerusalem” with a decoration of three grenades in a cluster, and on the other side – the inscription “Shekel Yisrael Year II” above a goblet decoration. Apparently, the coin was in the middle of being cleaned, and only half of it had been cleared.
In another room in the house, dozens of coins were seized inside postal envelopes bearing addresses to the recipients, ready for shipment abroad.
According to Haddad, the operation prevented the smuggling of ancient items from Israel to foreign markets. The illegal trader is suspected of acting over a long period of time.
“The suspect acted while hiding his tracks and according to the suspicion, systematically smuggled thousands of coins from Israel abroad,” he said.
During his interrogation, the suspect admitted to illegal trade, the smuggling of hundreds of coins abroad, and buying stolen coins from merchants in the Palestinian Authority while bringing them into Israel illegally.
Eli Eskosido, Director of the IAA, stated that the ancient artifacts “belong to the state and the public; Each coin has a unique story through which you can learn about the history and heritage of the country.”
“Unauthorized dealers who purchase coins from robbers and thieves encourage the theft of antiquities, which are torn from their historical story. The Antiquities Authority will continue to act in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, to thwart the illegal trade in antiquities,” he said.
The Robbery Prevention Unit said that in the coming weeks, the investigation will be expanded to expose those who provided the coins to the suspect. At the end of the investigation, the case will be transferred to the Legal Bureau of the Antiquities Authority to examine the filing of an indictment against him.
TPS
