A team of Israeli archaeologists felt like they had entered a set of an Indiana Jones film, or perhaps Dreamwork’s Prince of Egypt, after discovering a burial cave from the time of Pharaoh Ramses II – thought to possibly be the pharaoh from the story of the Exodus from Egypt – containing dozens of intact objects. The cave was uncovered in the Palmachim National Park near one of Israel’s most popular beaches.
The ancient burial cave was discovered by chance during work by the Nature and Parks Authority for the development of the park and after a tractor hit a rock, unexpectedly revealing the cave’s ceiling.
Israel Antiquities Authority official, Dror Citron, was the first to identify the space and descended into the cave which seemed frozen in time. The cave was filled with dozens of whole pottery and bronze vessels just as they were placed during the burial ceremony, about 3,300 years ago.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime find,” explained Dr. Eli Yanai, an IAA expert on the Bronze Age. “It’s not every day that you see an Indiana Jones set – a cave with vessels on the floor that haven’t been touched in 3,300 years. We are talking about the Late Bronze Age. These are precisely the days of the famous king, Ramses II – the one some identify with the story of the Exodus.”
“God, we thank you for enabling us to discover invaluable artifacts from ancient history that shine light on our nation, while also giving us the opportunity to better understand ancient history.”
Originally posted at VFINews.