Nathaniel Melchior and Alon Segev with the lamp – Wikipedia
Several Israelis serving in IDF reserve duty – just everyday people doing their civic duty – discovered a 1,500-year-old oil lamp dating back to the Byzantine period and did the right thing, they turned in their find. Interestingly, the lamp would not have been found – at least at this time – if it were not for the war in Gaza.
The soldiers made the discovery when stationed at a staging area near Gaza during preparations for combat.
After they handed over the ancient find to the State Treasures at the Antiquities Authority and were awarded a certificate for their good citizenship
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Nathaniel Melchior and Alon Segev, reserve soldiers – fighters of Battalion 404 of the 282nd Fire Brigade, did not expect this experience in their reserve service: the two unexpectedly discovered an ancient oil candle that was preserved intact, from the Byzantine period.
“During one of our walks in the field, I came across a piece of pottery lying upside down, and its round shape attracted me,” says Nathaniel. “It was covered in mud, I cleaned it and after I realized what it was about, I called the Antiquities Authority.” At the same time, Alon uploaded to the Facebook group a post with a picture of the candle, and it aroused a lot of interest. “The post gained momentum, it received dozens of comments and hundreds of likes. Surfers made various suggestions regarding the role of the object. There, too, they advised us to call the Antiquities Authority.”
According to Sara Tal, archaeologist of the Western Negev region from the Antiquities Authority: “This is a candle from the Byzantine period, about 1,500 years ago, known as a ‘sandal candle.’ Sarah came to the soldiers, collected the complete item from them and gave them a certificate from the Antiquities Authority.
“The war brings us together with extraordinary situations also on the archaeological front,” says Eli Escozido, director of the Antiquities Authority. “The land of the Land of Israel – and in particular the surrounding area, is saturated with history and ancient findings, and the Antiquities Authority cooperates with the IDF in order to preserve them even in a state of war.”
The Byzantine Empire was also known as the Eastern Roman Empire. It lasted for about 1,000 years after the fall of the Roman Empire and occupied Israel until the Arab conquest of the region in the Seventh Century.
