Archaeologists have found new artifacts of the Second Temple near Jerusalem

Not far from Jerusalem, archaeologists have discovered finds that speak not of wars and destruction, but of everyday life. About how people lived, wrote, studied, and lit their homes in the era of the Second Temple. These details rarely make it into chronicles, but they best show the resilience and organization of society at that time.

It is not about symbols of power. But about things that were taken in hand every day.

What exactly archaeologists found

On the hill of Nabi Samwil, northwest of Jerusalem, specialists from KAMAT Archaeology discovered two rare items:
a clay oil lamp and a writing stylus.

Both artifacts date back to the Hasmonean period and belong to the time of the Second Temple. Their condition allows us to confidently speak of domestic use, rather than cult or ritual purpose.

Light in the home and literacy as a norm

The clay lamp is a simple but key item. It provided light in the evening hours, allowing people to work, read, and communicate. Without it, it is impossible to imagine domestic life of that time.

The stylus is a less obvious find, but no less important. It indicates the prevalence of written culture, record-keeping, and basic literacy. This means that writing was not the domain of a narrow elite and temple circles, but was part of everyday practice.

This forms a picture of a society where education and order were part of the norm.

The Hasmonean era and the significance of the place

The Hasmonean period — approximately 140–37 BCE — was a time of political independence and religious renewal for Judea. Jerusalem during this period was not only a spiritual but also an administrative center.

The hill of Nabi Samwil, rising approximately 885 meters, had strategic significance. It controlled the approaches to the city and was used over the centuries by different civilizations.

Layers of history underfoot

Excavations have shown that this place was inhabited continuously:
the Israelite period, the Persian era, the Hellenistic time, the Roman period, the Crusaders, the Ottomans.

Each layer complements the previous one. But the finds from the Second Temple era are especially valuable because they confirm written sources with material evidence.

Why this is important today

These artifacts are not just museum exhibits. They show how traditions, education, and domestic stability supported Jewish communities over the centuries.

History here speaks not with slogans, but with objects. A small lamp and a simple stylus open a window into a world where Jerusalem was not an abstract symbol, but a living city with homes, light, and writing.

It is such finds that allow us to see the past without myths — and understand how everyday life shapes history, as regularly reported by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.