ISRAEL: Ancient coin with image of Jesus and ancient prison cells found in Israeli archaeological dig

TORY: Israeli archaeologists have unearthed an ancient coin impressed with what they say is an image of Jesus Christ and two prison cells in the old city of Tiberias on the shores of the sea of Galilee. The coin, believed to be used in the six century, depicts an image of Jesus on one side and a Greek inscription on the other and is the first to be found in the area. "What you see here is a coin with a likeness of Jesus on one side, and inscription in Greek saying 'Jesus Christ king of kings', and the uniqueness of this coin is that they were found for the first time in an archaeological excavation (site) in Israel," Archaeologist Anna de-Vincans told Reuters television. Professor Yizhar Hirschfeld of the Hebrew University believes the coin was issued in Istanbul in honour of the first millennium. He says the location of discovery indicates the Crusaders arrive in Tiberias in the Muslim period. More excavations in the eastern part of the old city discovered two small chambers, believed to have served as holding cells for prisoners awaiting trial some 1,800 years ago. The cells were found at a basilica compound, below the level of the main administrative building. Each cell measures 1.8 by 2.7 meters, and is 2.07 meters high. An outer wall (1.1 meters thick) containing two narrow openings onto the city square. The slits presumably provided ventilation, and one also served as a food portal. Narrow benches run along the length of the cells uncovered. "Never in my life, as an archaeologist, I would expect to uncover, a holding cell, a holding cell from the late Roman period. What you see here is a tiny room that was built in the basement of the Basilica, perhaps the seat of the Sanhedrin (supreme Judicial body). A tiny room with a bench, it is about two metres below the floor of the building and we found in the outer wall, we found two windows, one for ventilation and the lower one - here - we found another window for communication between the prisoners and the people outside," Professor Hirschfeld, who is directing the dig, said during the excavation. He added that the significance of the discovery is that it is in keeping with the theory that the structure, currently uncovered, served as a basilica. The prisoner pit was uncovered by three volunteers from the American and British embassies and a nearby Kibbutz. ENDS.

ITN Source | December 2, 2005

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