A rare decorated red clay flask estimated to be about 1,200 years old was discovered at Horvat ‘Anim in Yatir Forest during renewed excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), according to a Facebook post by the IAA.
The flask, adorned with geometric patterns and illustrations of a caravan of animals—including two camels—was used for storing liquids. Researchers noted the camels’ prominent appearance as a reflection of their vital economic role during the Abbasid period in the 9th–10th centuries CE.
“The fact that the artists chose to paint two camels on the flask points to their great importance in the Abbasid period,” wrote the IAA’s Oren Shmueli, Dr. Davida Dagan, and Dr. Anat Cohen-Weinberger, along with Dr. Katya Citrin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Camels were the primary means of overland transportation for goods and therefore critical to the economy.”
The find was part of an excavation of an ancient underground olive press located in a cave, initially designed for oil production and later converted into a dwelling. The excavation was carried out in collaboration with the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) as part of efforts to develop the site for visitors. The flask was among the discoveries presented at the IAA’s 20th Annual Southern Research Conference, held at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and open to the public.
The olive press, dated to approximately 1,300 years ago (Early Islamic period), included two massive “Yehuda uprights” stone pillars used in the pressing process. A wooden screw mechanism would have pressed the olives, collecting the oil in a central stone basin. Shmueli noted: “The uniqueness of the olive press in Yatir Forest lies in its organized and advanced construction for its time. In fact, it was an ancient factory, housing a sophisticated and costly machine.”
Also located at the site is a Byzantine-period synagogue structure that was first uncovered four decades ago in excavations by the IAA and the Avshalom Institute. The synagogue underwent extensive conservation work by IAA specialists and includes remnants of impressive mosaic floors.
“About 1,500 years ago, the Yatir region was part of an area known as ‘Daroma,’ where Jewish and Christian communities lived side by side,” explained Shmueli. “There is no doubt that the synagogue discovered at Horvat ‘Anim served as a religious center for the local Jewish population.”
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
