The Greek Courier
The ring may have been buried by a young girl on the eve of her wedding, but whether she was Judean, Greek, or perhaps a blend of both remains unclear.
May 2025
Source: The Times of Israel & https://archaeologymag.com/
An exquisite gold ring featuring a red gemstone, dating back around 2,300 years, has been discovered beneath a Hellenistic structure in Jerusalem, as announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the City of David on Wednesday.
This ring closely resembles another found at the same site a year prior, located in the Givati Parking Lot excavation within the Jerusalem Walls National Park, near the ancient Temple. Researchers are still determining whether its owners were affluent Judaeans, Greek elites, or individuals embodying both cultures.
“The ring epitomizes Hellenistic fashion,” Dr. Marion Zindel of the Israel Antiquities Authority shared in a phone interview. “When Alexander the Great arrived in the region in 333 BCE, the Greeks introduced new materials and cultural influences from the East—India and Persia—transforming jewelry styles. The combination of gold with vibrant gemstones became a hallmark of the era, a trend that continued into Byzantine times.”
Zindel suggests the rings may have belonged to a girl on the brink of marriage.
Both artifacts were found beneath the floor of what archaeologists believe was a significant public building. A bronze earring previously discovered in the same location indicates that the jewelry was intentionally buried.
“Gold was highly valuable, making it unlikely that two rings were accidentally dropped during floor construction,” Zindel explained. “The presence of additional jewelry implies purposeful burial.”
A 2,300-year-old gold ring was unearthed in the Givati Parking Lot excavation in spring 2025. (Eliyahu Yanai/City of David)
Given the small size of both rings, Zindel posits they likely belonged to a child.
“One theory we’re exploring is that these items were buried as part of a Greek ritual, where girls would inter objects tied to their childhood before their wedding,” she noted.
Zindel referenced a previous find at Tel Kedesh in northern Israel, where a cache was uncovered beneath a Hellenistic public building. While it lacked jewelry, the artifacts were linked to a young girl’s daily life.
The Tel Kedesh cache included a terracotta figurine of the Greek god Eros, gaming pieces, metal writing tools, and a hairpin. Researchers believe it may have been part of a similar pre-wedding tradition.
Hellenistic Jerusalem
Scholarly consensus places the beginning of the Hellenistic period with Alexander the Great’s conquest of Syria and Israel in 333 BCE, continuing until mid-first century BCE with the rise of Roman rule.
This period also includes the Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled Israel following a revolt against the Greek-Seleucid Empire, celebrated during Hanukkah.
Dr. Marion Zindel. (Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities Authority)
Prof. Yuval Gadot from Tel Aviv University, the excavation director, notes that little is known about life in Jerusalem during these centuries.
The current excavation, funded by the City of David Foundation, seeks to uncover remnants from this time.
“The Hellenistic period is believed to be well-documented, with available historical sources, so we expected the archaeological record to reflect that,” Prof. Gadot stated. “However, until our excavation, we had little understanding of Jerusalem’s size, character, and development during these times.”
“These rings, along with other jewelry and architectural findings, are enhancing our knowledge of the city during that period,” he added.
The excavation has revealed what Gadot describes as “an entire neighborhood,” comprising both public and residential structures.
The high quality of the walls and floors suggests that Jerusalem was relatively affluent during this time.
Tel Aviv University Prof. Yuval Gadot with a Persian-era seal and seal impression discovered in the City of David’s Givati Parking Lot excavations. (Shai Halevy, Israel Antiquities Authority)
“We also found several seals, some of which were not locally made,” Gadot noted. “This indicates connections between Jerusalem and other regions.”
However, the rings and other discoveries from the Givati Parking Lot excavation do not yet clarify the cultural identity of those living near the Temple.
“We believe the residents had some connection to the Temple,” Gadot said, “but we currently lack a clear understanding of that relationship.”
For instance, one seal impression depicts a woman, possibly the Greek goddess Athena. “According to Jewish law, making images of human figures is forbidden—how do we interpret this?” he asked.
Researchers suggest that the residents may have been Jewish but either unaware of or indifferent to this prohibition, or they could have been outsiders, perhaps imperial administrators of the Hellenistic empire.
Further insights might emerge from the analysis of animal bones, which can reveal dietary habits (including the consumption of pork, prohibited by Jewish law).
Earring and bead from the Hellenistic period uncovered in the City of David. (Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority)
“To better understand Jerusalem’s identity during the Hellenistic period, we need more discoveries and research,” said Gadot. “It will take time.”
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