Why do people keep stumbling on artifacts in Israel?

 

It seems like every other month there is a new story about some lost relic turning up in Israel. Fishermen will pull an ancient helmet out of the harbor. A roadway crew will find a sack of Byzantine coins while putting in a new highway. A young boy playing on a hill will stumble upon a 3000-year-old statue.

The discovery of such items is becoming almost commonplace in Israel. Over the past year, accidental discoveries made by random citizens have become so frequent that one might suspect there is more than coincidence and chance at work. We have to ask ourselves why these finds are so common in Israel and so rare in other parts of the world.

There are practical explanations for this phenomenon of course, but also maybe something a little more.

One of the obvious reasons for the preponderance of archeological finds in Israel is that there is simply more to find in Israel than in other nations! The land has a rich and varied history. It's seen the rise and fall of multiple kingdoms, hosted clashing armies from lands far and wide, and of course, been the site of the most important spiritual moments to ever occur on God's green Earth. It's only natural that there are going to be more artifacts and relics to turn up than most other places! 

For all this history though, it's important to remember how geographically small Israel is. As a nation, Israel is roughly the same size as the state of New Jersey or Vancouver Island! Thousands of years of human history and intrigue are packed into this tiny nation – is it any wonder people sometimes literally trip over ancient artifacts? 

Israel is also a nation that offers its secrets readily. Thanks to the dry and arid climate of most of the nation, the soil in large parts of Israel is shallow and hard. While the secrets of history might find themselves swallowed up in the soft, mossy depths of a Canadian forest, or encased in the frozen ice of Russia, they linger just under the surface of the ground in Israel. Preserved by heat, exposed to little moisture, and lurking tantalizingly close to the surface, the artifacts of Israel are practically screaming to be discovered.

If you and your friends were out for a lazy weekend drive and you happened across a treasure chest brimming with gold coins, what would you do? If I was being honest, I'd have to say me and my friends would split the loot and run off into the sunset making pirate jokes.

That's not what six friends in Israel did. On a simple ride along the Mediterranean coast, a car load of Israelis happened to notice something gleaming on the seafloor while hanging out. Their curiosity piqued, they followed the gleam to the biggest discovery of coins in Israeli history. 2000 gold coins dating back to the Fatimid Caliphate, a literal fortune. But, rather than keep their hoard all to themselves, the group simply turned the find over the the Israel Antiquities Authority.

And they're not alone.

It's common practice in Israel to turn in discoveries when they are made. While there are in fact laws that compel citizens to do so, the fear of running afoul of the law isn't what motivates most accidental archeologist. After all, plenty of nations have similar laws and yet most people tend to hoard what they find. 

Israel has a culture of appreciating the past. A real feeling of shared responsibility to honestly and fully report discoveries to the proper authorities who can safeguard and preserve them. This is not an accidental thing, in recent years there has been a real push from the IAA to engage the public. Educational programs, community activities, and rewards like the certificate of good citizenship all inspire the Israeli people to see these finds as a chance to broaden and investigate the history of Israel, not an opportunity for personal profit.

This may explain why discoveries seem to be so much more common in recent years than they ever have been in the past. It might not be so much that people are finding more things, but that more people are honestly reporting it when they do. A truly inspiring explanation for Israel’s recent abundance of historical finds.