Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a 2,300-year-old gold ring set with a red gemstone, likely garnet, in the City of David area of Jerusalem. Experts believe the ring was ritually buried by a young girl as she transitioned from childhood to adulthood during the Hellenistic period.
The small ring was found in the foundations of a large building within the Jerusalem Walls National Park. This discovery marks the second gold ring from the early Hellenistic era uncovered at this site in less than a year.
Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and Tel Aviv University explained that burying jewelry like this was a common custom in that era. Betrothed girls would place their childhood items, such as jewelry, beneath house floors to symbolize their passage into adulthood.
The ring was discovered during a routine excavation. Rivka Lengler, an archaeologist at the City of David, described how a team member found the ring while sifting dirt near the dig site. Initially, they thought it was a modern piece, but upon closer inspection, it was confirmed as ancient.
The archaeological layer where the ring was found dates to the late third or early second century B.C., overlapping with the Second Temple period in Jerusalem. Alongside the ring, other valuable artifacts were found, including bronze earrings, a gold earring with an animal motif, and a decorated gold bead.
The location of the ring’s discovery suggests the building’s occupants were wealthy. Marion Zindel, an IAA archaeologist, noted that the presence of several precious items buried beneath the floors indicates a deliberate ritual practice.
The red gemstone fits the fashion trends of the Hellenistic period, which was influenced by Eastern cultures like India and Persia. This cultural exchange was made possible by Alexander the Great’s conquests, which opened trade routes between these regions.
This find adds to the growing evidence of Hellenistic influence in ancient Israel. In 2023, archaeologists also uncovered the burial of a Greek courtesan near Jerusalem, believed to have accompanied Alexander’s armies.
This discovery sheds light on the cultural practices and social customs of young women in ancient Jerusalem during a dynamic historical period.
