2,200-year-old 'pyramid' discovered near the Dead Sea

Excavation site - Photo: Israel Antiquities Authority

Israeli archaeologists have discovered a pyramid-shaped structure dating back about 2,200 years near the Dead Sea.

According to the announcement on March 25 by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the discovery is part of the results of ongoing excavations along the Zohar Stream, in the Judean Desert, near the southern shore of the Dead Sea.

The pyramid was built from large, hand-hewn blocks of stone, each weighing hundreds of kilograms. It is an impressive structure, located next to a stop along an ancient trade route.

Archaeologists believe the structure may have served as a watchtower, monitoring important trade routes that transported valuable resources from the Dead Sea such as salt and asphalt to coastal ports.

However, they also do not rule out the possibility that this structure is a tomb or memorial.

At this pyramid, archaeologists also discovered a treasure trove of valuable ancient relics, including many documents written in Greek on papyrus, weapons, wooden tools, furniture, bronze vessels, fabrics and bronze coins of Ptolemy and Antiochus IV Epiphanes - kings of the Seleucid Empire.

These discoveries reflect the presence and influence of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties in Israel at that time.

The excavation at Zohar Spring is part of a large-scale national project initiated by the IAA eight years ago, with the aim of protecting archaeological sites from encroachment and illegal digging in the area.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phat-hien-kim-tu-thap-2-200-nam-tuoi-gan-bien-chet-20250326164813601.htm