18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A 2,200-Year-Old Monumental Pyramidal Structure Discovered in the Judean Desert

In a remarkable archaeological breakthrough, Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a monumental pyramidal structure in the Judean Desert, dating back 2,200 years to the Hellenistic period.

This significant find, located near Nahal Zohar, approximately 20 kilometers south of Masada, is part of a broader initiative aimed at locating additional Dead Sea Scrolls and preserving the region’s rich historical heritage.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that the structure, composed of massive hand-hewn stones, stands five to six meters high and has long been speculated to be a burial site. However, recent excavations have revealed a wealth of artifacts, including papyrus scrolls, bronze vessels, ancient furniture remnants, coins, and textiles, suggesting that the site may have originally functioned as a fortress guarding a vital trade route before being repurposed as a monumental tomb centuries later.

Dr. Eitan Klein, co-director of the excavation, explained, “Initially, we thought the site could be just a tomb, but as we uncovered more, we recognized the shape of the original walls, leading us to identify it as a tower or fortress from the Hellenistic period.” This era was marked by the rule of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, a Greek dynasty that controlled the region, and the structure likely served to protect the main road linking Edom (modern-day Jordan) to Gaza, possibly functioning as a tax collection point for Ptolemaic officials.

Credit: Judean Desert Survey Unit, Israel Antiquities Authority
Credit: Judean Desert Survey Unit, Israel Antiquities Authority

The excavation is part of a larger, multi-year project initiated eight years ago to survey and protect archaeological sites in the Judean Desert, which have been threatened by looting and unauthorized excavations. Funded by the Ministry of Heritage and the IAA, the project has already surveyed 180 kilometers of cliffs and identified around 900 caves, recovering thousands of artifacts, including well-preserved organic materials due to the desert’s arid climate.

Among the notable discoveries are Greek inscriptions on papyrus, which may represent tax documents, and a significant number of coins from both the Ptolemaic and Seleucid periods. These findings provide crucial insights into the building’s dating and cultural context. Klein noted, “Finding written records from such a long time ago is very rare and the dream of every archaeologist.”

Despite the initial looting of the site, archaeologists have managed to recover a variety of organic and inorganic artifacts, including wooden tools and textiles. The presence of coins minted under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a key figure in the Hanukkah story, indicates that the structure was in use during the 3rd and early 2nd centuries BCE. However, the reasons for its eventual abandonment remain unclear, with possibilities ranging from warfare to natural disasters.

As the excavation continues, researchers are eager to uncover more about the structure’s purpose—whether it served as a guard tower, a monumental grave, or something else entirely. The ongoing efforts not only aim to illuminate the history of this enigmatic site but also engage the public, with volunteers participating in the excavation process.

In conclusion, the discovery of this ancient pyramid-like structure in the Judean Desert represents a significant chapter in the region’s archaeological narrative. As excavations progress, the hope remains that further findings will shed light on the lives of those who inhabited this remote fortress and the historical events that shaped their world.

Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA)

Cover Image Credit: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority

Related Articles

Archeologists discover 2000-year-old Roman coins on the deserted Swedish island of Gotska Sandön

14 April 2023

14 April 2023

Archaeologists found 2,000-year-old Roman coins on the Swedish deserted island of Gotska Sandön. Previously, ancient Roman coins were discovered on...

Archaeologists discover 1200-year-old Wari temple complex in Peru

24 February 2023

24 February 2023

Archaeologists from the University of Illinois Chicago have uncovered a temple complex constructed by the Wari Empire 1,200 years ago...

The bronze age village Afragola buried by the Plinian eruption of mount Vesuvius 4,000 Years Ago

30 September 2022

30 September 2022

Mount Vesuvius’ Plinian eruption about 4,000 years ago—2,000 years before it buried the Roman city of Pompeii—left remarkable preservation of...

Prehistoric Star Map Carved in Stone Discovered in Bulgaria

14 July 2025

14 July 2025

A recently uncovered archaeological site in the Rhodope Mountains of southern Bulgaria is now entering the scientific spotlight. In a...

Discoveries on the island of Minorca shed light on the history of Roman conquests in the Balearic Islands

31 July 2021

31 July 2021

The University of Alicante Institute for Archeology and Historical Heritage (INAPH) Researchs discovered a collection of buried Roman antiquities going...

The Mystery of the Hekatompedon: An Ancient Shepherd’s Graffiti Sheds New Light on the Mystery of the Acropolis’ Lost Temple

13 June 2024

13 June 2024

The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments, the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed to the world by ancient Greece,...

Europe’s oldest grave of a newborn girl found in İtaly

15 December 2021

15 December 2021

An international team of researchers has found Europe’s oldest tomb of a newborn girl, dating back 10,000 years, in Liguria....

A Roman bridge from the Republican era was discovered on Via Tiburtina

27 February 2022

27 February 2022

The remains of a rare Republican-era bridge have been discovered on the 12th kilometer of the Via Tiburtina, the ancient...

Paleonursery offers a detailed glimpse at life 518 million years ago

6 July 2021

6 July 2021

Fossilized specimens of thousands of undersea animals buried under a sedimentary avalanche 518 million years ago have been found near...

The easternmost Roman aqueduct in Armenia was discovered

19 November 2021

19 November 2021

Archaeologists from the University of Münster and the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia have discovered remains...

Iraqis Disliked El Nouri Mosque’s Restoration Plan

18 April 2021

18 April 2021

UNESCO recently announced that the El Nouri mosque, which was bombed by ISIL(The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant),...

A 1,600-year-old indoor pool, the first of its kind, discovered in Albania

13 May 2024

13 May 2024

In the Albanian port city of Durrës, archaeologists have uncovered a 1600-year-old Roman indoor pool, the first of its kind....

Extraordinary 27,000-Year-Old Gravettian Female Figurine Head Discovered at Amiens-Renancourt, Northern France

9 July 2025

9 July 2025

Recent archaeological excavations at the Amiens-Renancourt 1 site in northern France have unveiled an extraordinary Gravettian-era female figurine head, dating...

Who really fought in the Battle of Himera? Researchers found the answer to the question

14 May 2021

14 May 2021

According to the Ancient Greek Historians, victory over the Carthaginians in the Battle of Himera was won by the alliance...

Mysterious T-Shaped Pillars and 50 Neolithic Structures Found in Sayburç, the Heart of Taş Tepeler

7 September 2025

7 September 2025

Archaeologists working in Şanlıurfa’s Sayburç settlement in southeastern Türkiye have unearthed a remarkable treasure from the deep past: over 50...