Israel Antiquities Authority

US returns two rare, ancient coins to Israel following joint antiquities theft investigation

One of the coins, depicting the Temple's seven-branched menorah, was minted in Hasmonean-ruled Jerusalem, while the other, the second of its kind ever found, was minted in ancient Ashkelon.

Hasmonean-era coin depicted the seven-branched menorah (L) and silver tetradrachm minted in Ashkelon during the Persian period (R) which were returned to Israel from the United States earlier this week, May 13, 2026.
An Israeli flag is raised on the peak of Mount Sartaba in the Jordan Valley, February 23, 2026.

Knesset advances in first reading bill to form Israeli antiquities authority in West Bank

Eight-year-old Dor Wolynitz with the over 1,700-year-old statuette fragment he found in the Ramon Crater area, May 11, 2026.

Eight-year-old boy visiting Ramon Crater finds over 1,700-year-old statue fragment hidden in rocks

Ancient bullae found in Jerusalem, May 1, 2026.

IAA reveals new study focused on ancient Jerusalem bullae in honor of Israel Excellence Week


Collection of 7,000-year-old ostrich eggs discovered under sand dunes in southern Israel

The eggs were discovered near the remains of a campfire believed to have been connected to prehistoric desert nomads who collected, cooked, and ate the eggs at the site.

Cache of ancient ostrich eggs found at an archaeological site near Nitzana, March 29, 2026.

Hunting for stolen history: Inside Israel’s fight to recover its looted past

Israel’s antiquities watchdog is battling black-market theft, forgery, and a global trade that strips history of its story

Visitors to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s new center in Jerusalem look at items such as jewelery, makeup brushes, and weapons that had been stolen by antiquities thieves.

From dust to data: How technology is transforming Israeli archaeology

Israel’s archaeologists are harnessing artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cutting-edge science to transform how the past is uncovered – and understood

Multispectral imaging uses different wavelengths of light such as ultraviolet and infrared rays to better decipher faded or damaged writing on ancient manuscripts.

'Heritage as a weapon': How West Bank digs became a tool of dispossession - opinion

How archaeology in the West Bank has become a battleground over sovereignty, heritage, and international law

A Palestinian archaeologist works on a lead sarcophagus discovered in Gaza City in early 2022. A common Israeli claim is that Palestinians have ‘no interest’ in antiquities.

Ancient sites, modern stakes: The fight to own the West Bank's past - from the editor

As fighting rages, another battle unfolds in the West Bank – over history, heritage, and identity, where competing claims to the past are shaping the future

As the current war wages, Israelis and Palestinians battle over ancient narratives.

Palestinian doctor arrested for smuggling Second Temple-period coins from West Bank to Jerusalem

Trading in antiquities and bringing antiquities from the West Bank into Israel without a permit as well as searching for antiquities without a license using a metal detector are criminal offenses.

Coins seized by Border Police from vehicle of Palestinian doctor after attempted smuggling into Israel, March 23, 2026.

Police forced into shelter with two suspects arrested for antiquities theft amid sirens

The suspects excavation equipment has been seized, and the investigation is ongoing.

The destruction caused by the looters at the Horvat Hermesh antiquities site in northern Israel, March 17, 2026.

Rare half-shekel coin used in biblical census count discovered by archaeologists in Judean Desert

The survey is an ongoing project by the IAA meant to protect archaeological sites in the Judean Desert from looting and unauthorized excavations.

Rare half-shekel coin discovered in Judean Desert by the Israel Antiquities Authority, February 26, 2026.

University of Haifa student discovers 12th century Crusader sword off of Israel’s northern coast

The sword was eventually transferred to Elisha Medical Center in Haifa for an advanced CT scan to examine the blade’s condition without causing it futher harm.

Ancient Crusader sword, dated to the 12th century CE, discovered off of Israel's Dor Beach in northern Israel, February 22, 2026.

Second Temple workshop found on Israel's Mount Scopus during investigation into antiquities thieves

The workshop was discovered at the Ras Tamim archaeological site on the eastern slope of Mount Scopus. 

Newly discovered limestone shards and vessels on display in the new "Criminal Past" exhibit at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, February 16, 2026.