1500-year-old Byzantine lamp discovered in Israel near Gaza border (photo)

Israeli reserve soldiers from the 282nd Artillery Regiment discovered a well-preserved 1500-year-old Byzantine-era oil lamp near the border with Gaza. They stumbled upon the artifact in a bridgehead in Israel.

Intrigued by its round shape and dirt-covered appearance, the soldier cleaned it and, realizing its significance, shared the image on social media. This was reported by HindustanTimes.

Archaeologists have confirmed that the artifact was a "sandalwood candle" from the Byzantine period, probably from the 5th-6th century AD.

Read also: Mesolithic site with a shamanic magician's tomb discovered in Germany

According to Israeli law, any man-made object created before 1700 must be handed over to archaeologists within 15 days. The IAA and the IDF are working together to preserve historical and archaeological finds, and IAA Director General Eli Escudo expressed his gratitude to the soldiers for their vigilance and civic responsibility.

"War often exposes us to emergencies, even on the archaeological front. The land of Israel, especially this adjacent region, has a rich history and ancient treasures," Escudo said.

As a reminder, geoglyphs of cats and humanoid figures dating back to 30 BC were discovered in Peru.

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