Ancient Oil Lamp Discovered by Reservists in Gaza

Netanel Malkior and Alon Segev, two IDF reserve soldiers, discovered an ancient lamp in staging grounds near the Gaza border.

The oil lamp is believed to date back approximately 1,500 years to the Byzantine period. Recognizing the historical significance of their find, the soldiers took the initiative to transfer the lamp to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

During their exploration, Netanel shared, “In one of our wanderings in the area, I found a ceramic which was upside down, and its round shape drew me to it.” After cleaning off the mud, he identified it as an ancient lamp and promptly contacted the Antiquities Authority.

Sarah Tal, an archaeologist from the Western Negev district in the Antiquities Authority, examined the lamp and identified it as a “sandal lamp” from the Byzantine period. This type of lamp, used for lighting and prevalent in ancient times, is characteristic of the lowlands and southern Israel.

Eli Askozido, the director of the Antiquities Authority, said, “I am glad that the ancient lamp has brought light.” He emphasized the importance of leaving ancient items in place and contacting Antiquities Authority supervisors to ensure the extraction of valuable information about the find and its historical context.