Israel’s largest-ever gold currency hoard is uncovered by divers
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has announced the discovery of a massive hoard of almost 2,000 gold coins by diver s in the ancient harbor in Caesarea. The coins, which are over 1,000 years old, constitute the largest find of its kind in the country. It is believed the treasure belongs to a shipwreck of an official treasury boat on its ways to Egypt with collected taxes. The discovery was made when a group of divers from a local dive club spotted what they initially thought were “toy coins”, while diving in the Caesarea National Park. The ancient Caesarea Maritima (or Caesarea Palestinae) city and harbor, which lies on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, was built by Herod the Great in about 25–13 BCE and was populated through the late Roman and Byzantine era. Caesarea Ancient Harbor where the gold coins were discovered (Deror Avi / Wikimedia Commons) The divers reported the discovery to the Marine Archaeology Unit of the IAA, which immediately sent out additional div...