1/5
Ancient antiquities seized from the home of a Jerusalem resident are displayed by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Beit Shemesh, on Monday.
Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
March 7 (UPI) -- Israel's Antiquities Authority said Monday it uncovered 1,500-year-old magical "incantation bowls" and other rare and decorated bone and ivory items dating from the biblical period in the home of a Jerusalem resident suspected of participating in the illegal antiquities trade.
The authority's robbery prevention unit along with Israeli police found the items at a home in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood.
The discovered bowls were inscribed with spells and incantations in Hebrew, dating back as early as the fourth century. Officials said the items were known as "swearing bowls."
"The Jewish bowls draw heavily on Jewish tradition, cite verses, and even contain the earliest written attestations we have for Jewish texts like the Mishnah or benedictions," Tel Aviv University professor Matthew Morgenstern told the Times of Israel.
An expert in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic and Classical Mandaic, Morgenstern said similar bowls contained numerous Babylonian Aramaic dialects and were placed around the home for protection. They were placed upside down to trap the demons or evil spirits.
The person in possession of the bowls also had various chemicals at his residence. Police believe he intended to use the chemicals to restore the pottery and sell them.
"Antiquities belong to all of us," Eli Eskosido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said, according to the Times of Israel. "They are our heritage. Unauthorized antiquities dealers encourage looters to go out and destroy ancient sites in search of finds for sale on the antiquities market.
"In the name of greed, they plunder antiquity sites, removing the finds from their historical context, thus obscuring parts of human history."
March 7 (UPI) -- Israel's Antiquities Authority said Monday it uncovered 1,500-year-old magical "incantation bowls" and other rare and decorated bone and ivory items dating from the biblical period in the home of a Jerusalem resident suspected of participating in the illegal antiquities trade.
The authority's robbery prevention unit along with Israeli police found the items at a home in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood.
The discovered bowls were inscribed with spells and incantations in Hebrew, dating back as early as the fourth century. Officials said the items were known as "swearing bowls."
"The Jewish bowls draw heavily on Jewish tradition, cite verses, and even contain the earliest written attestations we have for Jewish texts like the Mishnah or benedictions," Tel Aviv University professor Matthew Morgenstern told the Times of Israel.
An expert in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic and Classical Mandaic, Morgenstern said similar bowls contained numerous Babylonian Aramaic dialects and were placed around the home for protection. They were placed upside down to trap the demons or evil spirits.
The person in possession of the bowls also had various chemicals at his residence. Police believe he intended to use the chemicals to restore the pottery and sell them.
"Antiquities belong to all of us," Eli Eskosido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said, according to the Times of Israel. "They are our heritage. Unauthorized antiquities dealers encourage looters to go out and destroy ancient sites in search of finds for sale on the antiquities market.
"In the name of greed, they plunder antiquity sites, removing the finds from their historical context, thus obscuring parts of human history."
No comments:
Post a Comment