Dr. Uzi Ad, Excavation Director, with the rare stone capital. Photo: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
A one-of-a-kind stone capital, unlike any ever discovered worldwide, will be unveiled to the public for the first time during Israel’s Independence Day celebrations at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem. This remarkable artifact, carved from limestone and adorned with an eight-branched lamp, dates back over 1,500 years to the Byzantine period (6th–7th century CE).
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) unearthed the rare capital in 2020 during excavations ahead of infrastructure development at Jerusalem’s new city entrance, a project funded by Netivei Israel – National Transport Infrastructure Company. Since its discovery, the artifact has been the subject of intensive scientific and historical research by experts from the IAA and Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Researchers believe the stone capital was reused in a secondary function, found resting upside-down on the floor of a Byzantine-era building. Originally, it likely served a decorative role in a more ancient structure, though its design and symbolism remain archaeologically unparalleled.
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This extraordinary find highlights the rich and layered history of ancient Jerusalem and offers new insights into Byzantine architecture and art in the region.
“It seems this capital stood atop a column in a magnificent building or on a street, in a late Roman period settlement here (2nd-4th Century CE). From its local context and finds this settlement was apparently populated by descendants of Roman army retirees,” explained Dr. Uzi Ad and Anna Eirich, excavation managers on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. “If so, what was a capital with a menorah decoration on it doing here of all places – a distinct Jewish symbol? This is a true conundrum.
In the architecture of classical eras, capitals atop columns served a structural purpose, supporting the beams that formed ceilings. These were commonly decorated with plant life, and occasionally incorporated symbolic elements. This particular capital is notable for its inclusion of the menorah, modeled after the Temple candelabrum. On each side of the capital’s upper portion, an eight-branched candelabrum is depicted. Below, each side features eight leaves. A vertical line is carved above the central leaf on each of the upper sides, visually representing the base of the candelabrum.
“We invite the public to come on guided tours of the new Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem, and appreciate this unique piece,” says Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
The stone capital will be presented to the public as part of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s commitment to making the cultural assets of the Land of Israel accessible. There is no more appropriate time to reveal this find to the public than in these very days of celebrating our identity as a nation. The connection to roots and to values is the source of our strength.”
