3 April 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

The oldest ceramic roof tiles ever found in land of Israel may be from Antiochus’ Lost Citadel in Jerusalem

The 16 ceramic roof tile fragments, from the Hellenistic period in the second century BCE, were discovered during an archaeological excavation in a parking lot adjacent to the ancient City of David, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Wednesday. The discovery marks the earliest documented use of ceramic roof tiles in the Land of Israel.

Fragments of clay roof tiles have been found in Jerusalem, even though such tiles were unknown in Judea at the time, the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

Spearheaded by Dr. Yiftah Shalev and Dr. Filip Vukosavović from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), along with Prof. Yuval Gadot from Tel-Aviv University (TAU), the findings are attributed to the era of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Hellenistic ruler of the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC to 164 BC.

These unique tiles could have come from the long-lost Acra, a massive fortress built somewhere in Jerusalem (the exact location is unknown) by the Seleucid Emperor Antiochus IV, aka Antiochus Epiphanes, as part of his drive to subdue the rebellious region against the Greek Seleucid regime in the late second century B.C.

The Giv‘ati Parking Lot Excavations at the City of David, Jerusalem. Photo by Kobi Harati/City of David.
The Giv‘ati Parking Lot Excavations at the City of David, Jerusalem. Photo: Kobi Harati/City of David.

If they are from the Acra, they constitute extremely rare archaeological evidence of the Greek Seleucid regime in Jerusalem, knowledge of which had been confined to historic sources until now, say researchers.

Recent archaeological endeavors, including the unearthing of roof tiles, have reignited discussions on the possible location of the fortress on the City of David Hill.

The historical background indicates that Antiochus IV built the Acra fortress on or near the Temple Mount in 168 BCE during a military expedition to Jerusalem. The Books of the Maccabees and the later writings of Josephus both detail how Jewish pilgrims and locals alike continued to experience tensions due to this stronghold, which was manned by Syrian mercenaries. The exact location of the Acra fortress has remained a mystery despite its importance.

The technique of making roof tiles was unknown in Hellenistic Judea, making these the oldest ceramic tiles found in this area to date, according to the team excavating in the City of David National Park, around the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Roof tile fragments discovered at the Givati Parking Lot Excavation. Photo:  Eliyahu Yannai, City of David National Park
Roof tile fragments discovered at the Givati Parking Lot Excavation. Photo: Eliyahu Yannai, City of David National Park

Ceramic roofing tiles were invented in Greece as early as the seventh century BCE. However, 500 years went by until they began to appear in the Land of Israel. The person who brought them to Israel was none other than Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Their durability and resistance to water, specifically rainwater, gained them a positive reputation and ensured their rapid adoption in neighboring areas, according to the researchers.

The discovery of the roof tiles constitutes additional evidence of the Hellenistic presence in the City of David, characterized by foreign construction traditions.

Ayala Zilberstein of the IAA and Tel-Aviv University said: “Tiles were very rare in our region during this period, and they were alien to local construction traditions, indicating that the technique of using tiles to roof parts of a tower or a structure inside that famous fortress was brought from Greek-controlled areas by foreign rulers,”.

IAA

Cover Photo: An assortment of roof tile fragments discovered at the Givati Parking Lot Excavation. / Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority

Related Articles

Archaeological Complex from the Bulgar-Golden Horde Period Discovered in Tatarstan

22 March 2025

22 March 2025

Recent archaeological research conducted in the Alekseevski municipal district, located in the Republic of Tatarstan, has uncovered an archaeological complex...

A stone statue (Balbal) with height up to 3 meters found in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan

18 October 2022

18 October 2022

A balbal (stone statue) with a height of up to 3 meters was found during agricultural work in the Ak-Bulun...

Feline and anthropomorphic 29 new geoglyphs discovered in Peru

21 December 2023

21 December 2023

In Ica, a region south of Lima on the coast of Peru, 29 geoglyphs were found by an archaeologist from...

Interesting Social Dimensions of Rare Diseases Seen in the Bronze Age

10 March 2021

10 March 2021

When it comes to Rare Diseases, what almost all of us think of is that this disease has affected very...

In Turkey’s western Uşak province, 2,000-year-old statues have been unearthed

19 December 2021

19 December 2021

During the excavations in the ancient city of Blaundos in the Ulubey district of Uşak, two statues of 2000 years...

A Roman statue of the sea god Triton discovered near A2, London Road

13 September 2023

13 September 2023

Archaeologists have uncovered a Roman Statue of Triton during excavations in preparation for a housing development in Kent, England. Archaeologists...

Luxurious 2,200-year-old King Tomb Discovered in China

3 May 2024

3 May 2024

Archaeologists have unearthed a luxurious 2,200-year-old tomb in eastern China, the largest, highest-ranking, and most structurally complex ever unearthed, which...

1,500-Year-Old Stained Glass and Mosaics Discovered at Harran Cathedral Excavation in Türkiye

7 February 2025

7 February 2025

Recent excavations at the historic Harran archaeological site, which is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, have yielded rare...

7,000-year-old Ritual Complex Found In Jordan Desert

23 February 2022

23 February 2022

The team of French and Jordanian archaeologists has discovered a 7,000-year-old ritualistic complex near what is thought to be the...

7,700-year-old Pottery of a Human Head and Jewelry Workshop Unearthed in Kuwait

28 November 2024

28 November 2024

A team of Kuwaiti and Polish archaeologists have uncovered a jewelry workshop at the prehistoric Ubaid period (5500–4000 B.C.) site...

Fragments of the World’s Oldest Known Rune Stone Discovered in Norway

3 February 2025

3 February 2025

Archaeologists have found fragments of the world’s oldest known rune stone at the Svingerud burial field in Norway and fitted...

More than 56400 Cultural Goods Seized in Operation Pandora V

11 May 2021

11 May 2021

Operation Pandora V, aimed at preventing the illegal trade of cultural goods, has been one of the most successful operations...

Study refutes previous assumptions, DNA evidence rewrites story of people buried in Pompeii eruption

8 November 2024

8 November 2024

Researchers from the University of Florence, Harvard University, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig analyzed the...

4,000-Year-Old Dilmun Temple Discovered on Failaka Island, Kuwait

12 November 2024

12 November 2024

A joint Danish-Kuwaiti excavation team led by the Mosgard Museum has uncovered a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age temple linked to the...

Archaeologists Uncover 4,800-Year-Old Bronze Age Tombs in Başur Höyük, Türkiye, Where Teenage Girls Were Ritually Sacrificed

30 March 2025

30 March 2025

As the first civilizations began to emerge in Mesopotamia and Anatolia, significant transformations in social structure, economy, and culture took...