TE'OMIM CAVE (C)

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Location

City

Zanoah [זנוח ;زنواح]

County

Jerusalem [ירושלים ;القُدس]

Region

Country

Israel

Lat/Long/Alt

31.726233729437 / 35.020295136245 / 0 view

Location details

Centred on field

Find spot comment

"The Te'omim Cave is a karst (natural) cave located on the northern bank of Nahal Hameʽara, on the western edge of the Jerusalem hills" (Zissu et al. 2011, 262).

Information

7596

Permalink

https://chre.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/hoard/7596

Hoard name

TE'OMIM CAVE (C)

Alternative names

Mu ̆ghâret Umm et Tûeimîn, Me'arat HaTeomim, Nahal Ha-Me'ara, Me‘arat Ha-Te’omim, Cave of the Twins, Nahal Hame‘ara

Data type

Hoard

Date of discovery (from)

2009

Total number of coins

Summary

The hoard comprised 5 gold coins, 15 silver coins, and 4 bronze coins dated to the Second Jewish Revolt (AD 132-136).

Details
Coins Summary
Coins
Rating
Archaeological context
Containers
Objects
References
Reports
Images
Credit

Discovery method

Controlled archaeological investigation
Land Use

Cave
Disposition

Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA 135182-135205)
Finder(s)

B. Zissu, R. Porat, B. Langford and A. Frumkin (Bar Ilan and Hebrew University)
Comment

"Hoard C had a value of 150 zuzim, and consisted of five gold aureii, 25 Roman denarii, five Roman provincial tetradrachms, two Bar Kokhba zuzim, and four bronze coins of Ascalon. The gold aureii were struck under Tiberius, Nero, Vitellius, and Vespasian, and the dating of these coins suggest that this hoard is a clear example of a multi-generational family savings" (Zissu and Hendin 2012, 222).
Closing reign (earliest)

Hadrian
Terminal year (earliest)

132
Closing reign (latest)

Hadrian
Terminal year (latest)

136
Opening year (earliest)

14
Opening year (latest)

37
Coin-level data

Not available

Fetching coin data

Numismatic rating

Good
Context rating

Excellent
Findspot rating

Excellent

Date of excavation (from)

2009
Date of excavation (to)

2011
Natural features

Cave
Site comment

"The southern edges of hall F, near the openings of the passages leading into it, are slightly higher than its centre; they are also dryer, and the dryness helped preserve the archaeological finds in this part of the cave. Large fragments of two or three storage jars (b. 100 and 101) were found on the southern edge of the chamber...between two pieces of rock adjacent to the western wall of the hall and about a metre and a half to the north, another group of 24 coins (Hoard C) were found in situ, along with an elongated object made of iron (probably another needle). Next to them fragments of a storage jar were found (b. 104)" (Zissu et al. 2011, 268-9). Two other hoards (Hoard A and Hoard B) were also discovered in the cave complex. The cave was a refuge for fighters in the Bar Kokhba Revolt (AD 132-135/6), as shown by the coins and weaponry deposited.
Date of context (from)

132
Date of context (to)

136
Recovery method

Excavation
Site class

Rural