Antiquities

Ancient Cypriot silver coin found on Ashdod's shore offers new insight into 2,500-year-old trade

The approximately 2,500-year-old coin was located by Ashdod Beaches Department Deputy Director Avi Chaprak during a search to locate objects lost by visitors to the beach.

The ancient Cypriot silver coin dating to the mid-5th century BCE found on Ashdod's shore, July 26, 2026.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa presided over the official handover ceremony of the artifacts, which took place at the People's Palace in Damascus, July 7, 2026.

France returns 23 artifacts to Syria after 15 year-long loan amid Macron’s historic Damascus visit

A fragment of an ancient stele dating to the reign of the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal found in Iraq's Nineveh province, July 17, 2026.

Archaeologists discover rare 2,600-year-old stele of Assyrian king in Iraq's Nineveh

A piece of metal lies at of Al‑Bass Roman ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site hit by an Israeli airstrike in Tyre, southern Lebanon, June 25, 2026.

Israel damaged heritage sites during ops. against Hezbollah, Lebanese culture minister says


Korean, Egyptian archaeologists find ancient temple gate blocks during restoration work in Luxor

The Ramesseum, located in a necropolis near Luxor, serves as a religious and political record of Pharoah Ramesses II’s reign. It is the second largest temple in Egypt.

Korean-Egyptian archaeological mission find blocks belonging to the Ramesseum's First Pylon during restoration work in Egypt, May 21, 2026.

Gov’t approves 250m. NIS plan to preserve West Bank heritage sites ahead of Six-Day War anniversary

Additionally, a multi-year plan worth tens of millions of shekel will be put in motion to upgrade existing infrastructure and hopefully turn the sites into major tourist destinations.

View of the ancient archeological site of Sebastia, near the West Bank city of Nablus, May 12, 2025.

Heritage Minister taps INEXTG CEO Esther Shreiber for next IAA director, first woman in role

Her appointment will soon be submitted for approval by the IAA’s council and the government. 

INEXTG CEO Esti Shrieber, tapped to be the next director of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

Turkish authorities reportedly seize gold Hebrew manuscript inscribed on python skin

Per Turkey Today, a foreign national, identified only as A.E., suspected of attempting to sell the manuscript on the black market, was detained by local units of Turkey’s Gendarmerie General Command.

The Hebrew manuscript inscribed in gold on python skin, displayed alongside its copper casing, at the Gaziantep Provincial Gendarmerie Command, April 24, 2026.

Stone stele depicting Roman emperor, Egyptian gods found near Karnak temple site in Luxor

The stele was discovered during the three-year-long restoration efforts of a gateway from the time of Ramesses III in Karnak.

Stele depicting Roman Emperor Tiberius standing before the Theban triad of the ancient Egyptian gods found near the Karnak Temple Complex, March 30, 2026.

Palestinian Authority accelerates heritage campaign as West Bank tensions rise

From museum reopenings to bids for UNESCO recognition, the Palestinian Authority is prioritizing archaeology and identity 

Palestinian children play in a Roman-era fountain in Battir, a village in the West Bank, south of Jerusalem.

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.

Archaeologists pinpoint Alexander the Great's lost Alexandria on the Tigris in Iraq

Despite the city’s exposure to repeated floods over centuries, the preservation of its walls and urban fabric is described as unexpectedly good.

 Greece plans world's first Alexander the Great theme park near Amphipolis.

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.

'Nothing quite like it': UK Treasure Act names Roman carriage ornament Essex's first 'treasure'

According to the Act, archaeological finds can be given the status of Treasure if they are deemed to be of historical, archaeological, or cultural importance.

Rare Roman vehicle ornament depicting a panther with its paws atop a bearded man’s severed head discovered in Essex in 2024.