Rare 2,800-year-old amulet found in Israel

Photo: The IAA social media page

A hiker in northern Israel found a rare scarab seal-amulet from the First Temple period on the ground in the Tabor Nature Reserve in Lower Galilee.

The scarab, made from reddish-brown carnelian stone, is estimated to be 2,800 years old and of Assyrian or Babylonian origin. The front is carved in the shape of a beetle, and the back has engravings that depict a griffon or a winged horse.

The tourist found the scarab near the bottom of Tel Rekhesh, associated with the city of Anaharath mentioned in the Book of Joshua.

Photo: The IAA social media page

The orange color and material of the scarab found by Abrahamov are fairly rare, the IAA said, as most were made from a softer bluish stone and then covered in glaze, which in almost all cases has worn away with time.

The IAA said it’s likely that the recent rains uncovered the scarab.