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A RARE and impressive red-painted clay jug, around 1,200 years old and used for storing liquids, was uncovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority during excavations at Horvat 'Anim in Yatir Forest.
Decorated with camel motifs, the jug dates to the Abbasid period (9th–10th centuries CE).
HISTORICAL FIND Special clay jug used for liquid storage 1,200 years ago. PHOTO FROM DAFNA GAZIT, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY
"The depiction of camels highlights their economic importance as a means of land transport," explain researchers Oren Shmueli, Dr. Davida Eisenberg-Degen, and Dr. Anat Cohen-Weinberger of the Israel Antiquities Authority, along with Dr. Katia Cytryn from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The jug was discovered in a cave that had been converted into a dwelling. Originally, the cave housed an underground olive press for oil production.
The site is being developed for tourism by the Jewish National Fund. Nearby, an ancient Byzantine-era synagogue has also undergone conservation.
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The olive press, built about 1,300 years ago during the Early Islamic period, was fully excavated last year. It included two large stones and a wooden screw used to press olives, with oil collected in a central basin.
The ceramic jug is adorned with geometric patterns and animal illustrations, including a camel and possibly even an ostrich — the so-called "winged camel" — or a donkey.
Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu praised the project for preserving Israel's layered history.
