Photo shows two 1,900-year-old bronze incense burners seized by the Israeli police from antiquity dealers in Jerusalem. (Photo by the Israel Antiquities Authority)
JERUSALEM, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel seized two 1,900-year-old bronze incense burners and a wine jug from antiquity dealers, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said Wednesday.
The censers and the jug were found by the Israeli police in a car trunk in Jerusalem, along with other unusual archaeological finds.
IAA's archaeologists examined these artifacts and found that they are battle spoils captured from Roman soldiers by Jewish rebels during the Bar Kokhba revolt from 132 to 136.
The censers probably belonged to affluent Roman houses and temples, the IAA noted.
It added that the bronze wine vessel bears a depiction of a Roman banqueting scene showing a reclining figure holding a jug of wine.
Photo shows a bronze wine jug seized by the Israeli police from antiquity dealers in Jerusalem. (Photo by the Israel Antiquities Authority)
Bronze artifacts are relatively rare finds in Israel since then, as metals were expensive commodities and usually melted down for reuse, they explained. ■
