This thread is archived. Other recent finds include the skeleton of a pregnant woman, dating back 3,200 years, in Israel’s Timna Valley, at a place once called King Solomon’s Mines. But this is the first time in about 35 years that such a stone mask has been discovered. (Amanda Borschel-Dan/Times of Ten other similar masks are in the Judy and Michael Steinhardt collection, but archaeologists don't know where they came from because they were all acquired from the antiquities market. 9000 year old stone mask found in the Judean hills in Israel. https://www.jpost.com/Arts-and-Culture/Arts/Unmasking-the-masks-344937 Lupu and her colleagues think the mask probably was brought to the surface by agricultural activities that disturbed the soil. In a statement released Wednesday, the Israel Antiquities Authority confirmed that the mask was discovered several months ago. 9000 year old stone mask found in the Judean hills in Israel. The recovery of the mask was thanks to the tenacious efforts of the IAA’s Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit. 89% Upvoted. Posted by 4 years ago. report. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Archaeologists have also confirmed the first full spelling of “Jerusalem” on an ancient stone inscription excavated in the area of Jerusalem’s International Convention Center, known as Binyanei Ha'Uma. The newly discovered mask, and some of the others, have holes drilled around their edges, possibly so that they could be tied around a person's face or another object. Archaeologists and the 'SHIPS IN THE DESERT': STRANGE 2,000-YEAR-OLD GRAFFITI DISCOVERED IN ISRAEL. "They didn't dig with them," she said. "The securest archaeological context for any Neolithic mask of this type is for the Nahal Hemar mask," which is in the collection of the Israel Museum, archaeologist Morag Kersel, of DePaul University, told Live Science in an email. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. She added that one of the staff members at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem cried upon seeing the mask. Get a daily look at what’s developing in science and technology throughout the world. "I love the cheeks — it has cheekbones," Lupu said. Very few of them come from known archaeological sites. A subsequent investigation led archaeologists back to the … This is a time when the spiritual world is very strong. hide. "They didn't hunt with them.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. save. "This mask was discovered in the spring of 1983 by archaeologists Ofer Bar Yosef and David Alon, who excavated a cramped, dark, debris-filled cave overlooking the Dead Sea," Kersel said. 1.4k comments. "People are starting to domesticate plants and animals. Dayan fancied himself an amateur archaeologist and often engaged in practices that would be called looting today. ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. This stone mask was found in a field in the West Bank. JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists revealed details of a 9,000-year-old mask dating to the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period, discovered in early 2018. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. The mask, which dates back to the Neolithic period, was found by a settler walking in the hills south of Hebron, on the West Bank, according to Haaretz. That the stone mask could provoke such a reaction might not be so surprising. In another project, experts discovered a site that may offer fresh insight into the ancient biblical kingdom of David and Solomon. A similar mask was bought in 1970 by Moshe Dayan, who was Israel's defense minister at the time. At the start of 2018, the IAA’s Antiques Theft Prevention Unit received information that led to the mask’s recovery. This is a specialist unit dedicated to the prevention of the looting of archaeological sites and the recovery of stolen antiquities. In February, archaeologists announced the discovery of a clay seal mark that may bear the signature of the biblical Prophet Isaiah. “The stone has been completely smoothed over and the features are perfect and symmetrical, even delineating cheekbones. Similar in size to a human face, the mask may be connected to ancestor worship, according to Lupu. share. https://www.livescience.com/44078-stone-age-masks-israel-museum.html Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers. "This was an innocent find, and the person who found it was the person who showed us where he found it," Lupu said. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Legal Statement. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Close. The mask dates back to the Neolithic period. But this mask was carved out of stone 9,000 years ago, perhaps in one of the world's first farm towns. Some experts also believe they have found the lost Roman city of Julias, formerly the village of Bethsaida, which was the home of Jesus' apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip. Ronit Lupu, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) told Live Science that a man had been walking through a field when he picked up the mask from the ground and eventually turned it over to the IAA's Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit. The cotton-polyester facemasks, sold online … LOST ROMAN CITY THAT WAS HOME TO JESUS' APOSTLES FOUND, SAY ARCHAEOLOGISTS. Besides Dayan's mask, which is now in the Israel Museum, 14 similar artifacts have been discovered in the Southern Levant region. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. The artifact is now being studied by experts from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Geological Survey of Israel. All rights reserved. Lupu said a spiritual purpose might be the only explanation for such elaborately crafted objects. The mask is the latest fascinating archaeological discovery in Israel. Reusable antimicrobial SonoMasks from Israeli startup Sonovia Tech now are proven to be more than 90 percent effective against coronaviruses and 99.89% effective against other viruses, even up to 100 washings.. (Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit, Israel Antiquities Authority)

. (Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority). In a separate archaeological dig, a trove of bronze coins, the last remnants of an ancient Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire, were recently discovered near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. ", Besides the stone carved masks, archaeologists have also discovered plaster-covered skulls in the region from this same period. (Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority). Salvage excavations at Tel Beit Shemesh, March 17, 2019. NY 10036. In a separate project, engravings of ships were found on an ancient water cistern discovered in a city in the Negev desert. Lupu presented the discovery today (Nov. 29) at the Israel Prehistoric Society annual meeting. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. 17.8k. 9000 year old stone mask found in Israel Like us on Facebook! Stone Mask Discovered in a Field in the West Bank This stone mask was found in a field in the West Bank. You will receive a verification email shortly. A previously unknown 1,500-year-old painting of Christ’s face, for example, was recently uncovered at a Byzantine church in the Negev desert. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. STUNNING BIBLICAL 'SPIES' MOSAIC DISCOVERED IN ISRAEL. Visit our corporate site. Another stone mask had been bought in the 1890s from villagers in Er-Ram, a Palestinian town near Jerusalem, which is now at the Palestine Exploration Fund in London, Kersel said. Please refresh the page and try again. (Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority). The ancient mask was discovered on the West Bank. It has an impressive nose and a mouth with distinct teeth.”, The ancient mask. 'JESUS' FACE' UNCOVERED AT ANCIENT CHURCH IN THE ISRAELI DESERT, “Discovering a mask made of stone, at such a high level of finish, is very exciting,” said Ronit Lupu of the IAA Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit, in the statement. With oval-shaped holes for eyes and a small ridge for a nose, the mask resembles something a 1970s hockey goalie (or Jason in "Friday the 13th") might have worn. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Legal Statement. For instance, Palestinian archaeologist Jibril Srur later investigated the spot where Dayan's mask was found, only to document a large village that once existed at the site, during the so-called Pre-Pottery Neolithic B Period, around 9,000 years ago. Ring of Roman governor who crucified Jesus found ... - Haaretz "If there is any power in the world able to banish evil spirits, it must assuredly dwell in this mask," Dayan once wrote of the mask he purchased. Following up on the tip off, the unit has now recovered the mask from the thieves and it is in remarkably good condition… The stone mask was recovered several months ago by the authority’s Theft Prevention Unit, according to an IAA press release. New York, https://www.israel21c.org/mysterious-ancient-masks-displayed-in-israel Market data provided by Factset. The mask was discovered near Pnei Hever, an Israeli settlement east of Hebron in the West Bank. [Photos: The World's Oldest Masks]. Israel’s rich biblical history can be found in the country’s archaeology. © A rare stone mask created 9,000 years ago was not found by archaeologists. 9,000-year-old rare stone mask discovered in Israel | Fox News (Image credit: Clara Amit/Israel Antiquities Authority), 'Tomb Raider': Here Are 11 Pioneering Women Archaeologists, Archaeologists Are Hot on the Trail of These 16 Spectacular Mysteries, Never mind outrunning a T. rex — you could probably outwalk it, Silver coins unearthed in New England may be loot from one of the 'greatest crimes in history', 'Pizzly' bear hybrids are spreading across the Arctic thanks to climate change, Mosasaurus: Apex ocean predator of the dinosaur age, Newfound species of amphibious giant centipede named for woman cursed by the gods, Pink supermoon will light up the night this Monday, Watch two black holes bend the daylights out of space-time in this trippy NASA visualization. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. Archaeologists in Israel have announced the discovery of an extremely rare 9,000-year-old stone mask. At the site of an ancient city on the West Bank, archaeologists are also hunting for evidence of the tabernacle that once housed the Ark of the Covenant. Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft, often used for carving, and is processed for plaster powder. Archived. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. or redistributed. There was a problem. It received information that a rare stone mask had been illegally excavated in early 2018. In early 2018, Israeli detectives from archeology learned about a unique discovery – specialists from the Anti-Pillage Prevention Unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority. Without much archaeological context for these artifacts, archaeologists don't know exactly how the masks were used 9,000 years ago; some think they were linked to spiritual beliefs involving ancestor cults. "When we talk about the Neolithic period, we talk about the transition from a hunter-gatherer society to permanent settlements," Lupu said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. A close look at the mask shows that it has some finer details carved into it, such as teeth around the small mouth slit. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. an archaeological site close to the Israeli settlement of Pnei Hever The mask from Pnei Chever joins other masks attributed to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period discovered in the Southern Hebron Hills – Judean Desert area. All rights reserved. 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