A gold ring set with a red gemstone, believed to be more than 2,300 years old, has been discovered beneath the floor of a Hellenistic-era structure in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the City of David Foundation announced Wednesday.
The artifact was uncovered during excavations at the Givati Parking Lot within the Jerusalem Walls National Park, just steps from the site of the ancient Jewish Temple. The ring closely resembles another unearthed in the same location in 2024.
The identity of the ring’s owner remains uncertain. The Israel Antiquities Authority said it may have belonged to a wealthy Jew, a Greek elite, or someone connected to both cultures.
The gold ring set may have belonged to a child or a young bride
Archaeologists found both rings beneath the foundation of a large public building. A bronze earring discovered nearby supports the theory that these objects were deliberately placed.
“Gold was very valuable; therefore, it is unlikely that not one but two rings were accidentally dropped during the construction of the floor,” said Dr. Marion Zindel of the Israel Antiquities Authority. “The fact that additional jewelry was also found suggests that they were buried there on purpose.”
Zindel said the small size of the ring indicates it may have belonged to a child. One theory under investigation is that the jewelry was placed as part of a known Greek ritual marking a transition to adulthood.
“One hypothesis we are investigating is that the objects were buried as part of a Greek ritual, under which girls would bury objects connected to their childhood on the day before their wedding,” she said.
Comparable finds in northern Israel support ritual theory
Zindel pointed to a similar discovery at Tel Kedesh in northern Israel. “A few years ago, archaeologists uncovered a cache beneath the floor of a Hellenistic public building at Tel Kedesh,” she said. “Although it didn’t contain jewelry, the artifacts were clearly linked to the daily life of a young girl.”
The Tel Kedesh cache included a terracotta figurine of the Greek god Eros, game pieces, writing tools, and a hairpin. Researchers there also linked the find to a pre-wedding tradition.
Artifacts reflect Hellenistic fashion and foreign influence
“The ring is very representative of the Hellenistic-period fashion,” Zindel said. “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 — which revolutionized jewelry styles.”
She added that the combination of gold and brightly colored gemstones, such as in the gold rings found in Jerusalem, became a signature of the time and remained in fashion into the Byzantine period.
Archaeologists uncover a wealthy ancient neighborhood
Prof. Yuval Gadot of Tel Aviv University, who leads the excavation, said the project is filling in significant gaps about life in Jerusalem during the Hellenistic period.
“Until our excavation, we knew very little about Jerusalem’s size, character, and development during those centuries,” Gadot said. The site has revealed what he calls “an entire neighborhood,” including public and residential buildings. The high-quality construction suggests the area was home to an affluent population.
Seals and bones could help identify residents
Gadot said several seals were also found at the site, including some not locally produced. “This testifies to the connections between Jerusalem and other areas of the region,” he said.
One seal impression shows a female figure, possibly the Greek goddess Athena. “Given that, according to Jewish law, it is forbidden to make images of human figures, how do we interpret it?” Gadot asked.
Researchers believe the residents may have been Jews unaware of or indifferent to religious restrictions, or outsiders such as imperial administrators from the Hellenistic world.
Additional insights may come from studying animal bones found at the site, which can reveal dietary practices. The presence or absence of pork, for example, could provide clues to cultural identity.
“In order to understand more about Jerusalem’s identity in the Hellenistic period, we are going to need more discoveries and research,” said Gadot. “It will take time.”
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