A 2,200-Year-Old Pyramid Structure Full Of Coins And Weapons Was Found By The Dead Sea, But Archaeologists Don’t Know What Its Purpose Was
In the Judaean Desert near the Dead Sea, a mysterious pyramid structure and way station were uncovered. The excavation site contains all kinds of artifacts, from historical documents to weapons and ancient furniture.
Archaeologists hope to figure out the purpose of the building. It may have served as a historical monument, a grave, a tax collector’s fortress, or a guard tower protecting a commercial route from the Dead Sea to coastal ports.
The pyramid was constructed out of hand-cut stones that each weighed hundreds of pounds. The site was active around 2,200 years ago, during the time of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Seleucid Empire. After Alexander the Great’s death in 323 B.C., his generals divided the empire up for themselves.
His general Ptolemy took control of Egypt and the surrounding areas, including Israel. Meanwhile, Seleucus ruled the northern region of what is now the Middle East. The Seleucid Empire conquered modern-day Israel by 200 B.C.
It is unclear whether the pyramid structure was built under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty or the Seleucid Empire. In the first century B.C., the Roman Empire absorbed both empires.
Just in the first week of excavation, a number of artifacts were unearthed at the site. The dry, arid conditions of the desert helped preserve the objects over thousands of years.
Low humidity prevents mold from forming and reduces the amount of warping and cracking in organic materials like wood and fibers.
“The extreme dryness has preserved things here in an extraordinary way,” said Ido Zangen, an archaeologist involved with the excavations.
“We’re finding papyrus fragments, all kinds of amazing wooden artifacts, baskets, and ropes that you simply don’t find anywhere else in the country.”
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Some of the papyrus fragments contained ancient Greek writings, which was one of the languages spoken by people in both the Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires. There were also bronze coins, vessels, the remains of ancient furniture, weapons, beads, fabrics, and seeds.
The dig was part of a larger archaeological operation in the Judaean Desert that began eight years ago to save artifacts from theft and illegal excavation. Teams surveyed 112 miles of cliffs and located roughly 900 caves, where rare items were found.
“The Judaean Desert survey is one of the most important archaeological operations ever undertaken in the state of Israel’s history,” said Eli Escusido, the director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
“The discoveries are exciting and even emotional, and their significance for archaeological and historical research is enormous.”
No evidence hinted as to why the site was abandoned, although the pyramid structure collapsed at some point. It is likely the building was reused as a monumental grave during Roman times. The papyrus documents have not yet been studied in-depth, but they could be part of tax documents.
Excavations will continue at the site until April 8 to learn more about the structure.
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