Cache of Roman Swords Found in Ein Gedi Cave

A remarkable discovery has been made in a hidden cave within the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, where a cache of four Roman swords dating back some 1,900 years was unearthed. Alongside these ancient weapons, a shafted weapon was also found. It is believed that these weapons were secretively concealed by Judean rebels after they were seized from the Roman army as plunder.

The researchers involved in the find expressed their astonishment, with one of them stating, “Finding a single sword is rare — so four? It’s a dream! We rubbed our eyes to believe it.”

These rare historical artifacts were publicly showcased for the first time during a press conference on Wednesday.

The weapons were discovered in a concealed cave nestled in an isolated and difficult-to-reach location north of Ein Gedi within the Judean Desert Nature Reserve, under the jurisdiction of the National Parks Authority. It is worth noting that 50 years ago, a stalactite featuring a fragmentary ink inscription in ancient Hebrew script, characteristic of the First Beis HaMikdash period, was found in this cave.

Recently, a team consisting of Dr. Asaf Gayer from the Department of the Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Ariel University, geologist Boaz Langford from the Institute of Earth Sciences and the Cave Research Center at the Hebrew University of Yerushalayim, and Shai Halevi, a photographer from the Israel Antiquities Authority, visited the cave. Their purpose was to photograph the Paleo-Hebrew inscription on the stalactite using multispectral photography, potentially revealing additional parts of the inscription invisible to the naked eye.

While exploring the upper level of the cave, Asaf Gayer unexpectedly spotted an extremely well-preserved Roman pilum — a shafted weapon — in a deep, narrow crevice. Nearby, pieces of worked wood were also discovered, which turned out to be components of the swords’ scabbards.

The researchers promptly reported their discovery to the Israel Antiquities Authority Archaeological Survey Team, who have been conducting systematic scientific investigations in the caves of the Judean Desert. Over the past six years, they have explored hundreds of caves and conducted 24 archaeological excavations to safeguard the archaeological remains from potential looting.

Together with Asaf Gayer and Boaz Langford, the Judean Desert Cave Survey team revisited the cave and conducted a meticulous survey of all the rock crevices. To their astonishment, they found the four Roman swords tucked away in an almost inaccessible crevice on the upper level of the cave.

The swords were exceptionally well-preserved, with three of them still retaining their iron blades inside wooden scabbards. Leather strips, as well as wooden and metal fragments associated with the weapons, were also found in the crevice. The swords featured finely crafted handles made of either wood or metal. Three of the swords had blade lengths of 60–65 cm, classifying them as Roman spatha swords, while the fourth sword had a shorter blade measuring approximately 45 cm, identified as a ring-pommel sword.

The swords were carefully removed from the rock crevice and transferred to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s climate-controlled laboratories for preservation and conservation. Initial examinations confirmed that these swords were standard weaponry used by Roman soldiers stationed in Judea during the Roman era.

Dr. Eitan Klein, one of the directors of the Judean Desert Survey Project, remarked, “The hiding of the swords and the pilum in deep cracks in the isolated cave north of Ein Gedi hints that the weapons were taken as booty from Roman soldiers or from the battlefield, and purposely hidden by the Judean rebels for re-use.” He further added, “We are just beginning the research on the cave and the weapon cache discovered in it, aiming to try to find out who owned the swords, and where, when, and by whom they were manufactured. We will try to pinpoint the historical event that led to the caching of these weapons in the cave and determine whether it was at the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt in 132–135 CE.”

In response to the discovery of the swords, the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted an archaeological excavation within the cave. At the cave’s entrance, a bronze coin from the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt was discovered, potentially indicating that the cave served as a hiding place for the weapons during this tumultuous period.