A Haifa teenager recently discovered an ancient engraved ring while hiking on Mount Carmel in northern Israel, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The ring, which is engraved with the image of Athena, the Greek goddess of war, has been handed over to the IAA and is set to be displayed in Jerusalem.
This July, 13-year-old Yair Whiteson’s discovery will be displayed at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.
The teen’s interest in fossils and rocks helped lead to this shocking discovery. When he made the discovery, Whiteson was hiking near the ancient quarry site below Khirbet Shalala with his father, who had recently returned from four months of army reserve duty. The teen noticed a small green object, initially mistaken for a rusty bolt. After closer inspection, he realized it was a corroded ring with an engraved image.
“At first glance, I thought it was a warrior,” Yair said.
The family contacted Nir Distelfeld, an inspector at the IAA’s Theft Prevention Unit, who quickly arranged for the object to be transferred to the National Treasures Department. The artifact was then examined with the assistance of Prof. Shua Amorai-Stark, an expert on ancient rings and amulets from the Kaye Academic College.
“On this beautifully preserved ring is the image of a helmeted naked figure holding a shield in one hand and a spear in the other,” explained Distelfeld and Dr. Eitan Klein from the IAA’s Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery.
“Yair’s identification of the figure as a warrior was close; it is likely the goddess Minerva from Roman mythology, known as Athena in Greek mythology. This goddess, popular during the Roman period in the Land of Israel, was considered the goddess of war and military strategy, as well as wisdom.”
Anicent archaeological discovery made by young teen
The bronze ring dates back to the 2nd-3rd Century CE – the Late Roman Period. It was believed to have belonged to a female, possibly a farmstead resident, a quarry worker, or even as a burial offering in a nearby cave.
Khirbet Shalala, the archaeological site near the discovery, is situated on a hilltop in the Carmel Mountains, surrounded by Nahal Oren and near the perennial water source Ein Alon. Various archaeologists have explored the site, including 19th-century Palestine Exploration Fund surveyor Prof. Ruth Miran and a Bar-Ilan University expedition led by Prof. Shimon Dar.
Visitors to the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel can revel in ancient history through IAA tours throughout the summer.