Summary: Sunken ship treasure discovered off the coast of Israel, dating back to Roman times, 1,700 years ago, reveals rare artifacts with connections to the Bible including a “good shepherd” ring.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul – Psalms 23-13 (ESV)
Sunken Treasure from Biblical Times
The Marine Archeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has made several discoveries over the past year, the latest being two shipwrecks bearing treasure and artifacts near the ancient city of Caesarea, between Tel Aviv and Haifa, announced last month.
The remains of the ships and their cargoes were found at a depth of around 13 feet, scattered across the ocean floor. One ship was about 1,700 years old from the Roman period and the other, 600 years old from the Mamluk era.
“The ships were probably anchored nearby and were wrecked in a storm,” pointed out Jacob Sharvit and Dror Planer of the IAA Marine Archaeology Unit. “They may have been anchored offshore after getting into difficulty, or fearing stormy weather, because sailors know well that mooring in shallow, open water outside of a port is dangerous and prone to disaster.”
The “Good Shepherd” Ring and the Bible
A thick gold ring inlaid with a green gemstone was called an “exceptional” find by Robert Cole, the head of the authority’s coin department. “On the gemstone is engraved an image of the ‘good shepherd’, which is really one of the earliest symbols of Christianity,” he said. A young shepherd boy in a tunic carrying a sheep across his shoulders is carved into the stone.
Throughout the Bible, the figure of the shepherd appears often. As early as Genesis, Jacob refers to God in this way, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day” (48:15). King David, who was a shepherd in his early years, wrote the well-known Psalm 23, “The Lord in my shepherd, I shall not want…” Isaiah 40:11 says, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart”.
In the New Testament, Jesus describes himself as a compassionate shepherd, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). In Luke 15 and Matthew 19 we find the parable of the lost sheep. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine…, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost,’” (Luke 15:4-6).
Caesarea’s Early Christian Community
The “good shepherd” ring was found near the port of Caesarea, one of the first Christian communities. This was where the apostle Peter baptized the Roman centurion Cornelius, according to Acts 10.
“This was the first instance of a non-Jew being accepted into the Christian community,” Jacob Sharvit said. “From here, the Christian religion began to be disseminated across the world.”
Finding the shepherd symbol on a ring is rare, according to Helena Sokolov, a curator at the IAA’s coin department who researched the “good shepherd” ring. “Back then, Christianity was still in its infancy, but it was very evident that it was developing, especially in mixed cities like Caesarea,” said Sokolov.
If the older wreck dates to around AD 250, the ring helps confirm the spread of Christianity in the Roman world. About two centuries earlier, the Apostle Paul wrote that his testimony had spread the faith to the imperial guard in Rome where he was imprisoned, and even among the household of Caesar (Acts 28:16, 30-31; Phil. 1:12-14, 4:22).
Silver Coins, Gems and Other Valuables Discovered
The gold ring was among a number of artifacts discovered among the shipwrecks. Other treasures include hundreds of silver and bronze Roman coins from the mid-3rd Century and a large store of silver coins from the early 14th Century that were from a later wreck.
Archeologists also found Roman-era figurines, a bronze figure in the form of an eagle symbolizing Roman rule and a theater performer also called a pantomimus in a comic mask.
Other items included rare personal possessions of shipwrecked victims: bronze bells used to ward off evil spirits, pottery vessels and a ring set with a red gemstone carved with a lyre.
The red gemstone was probably once set inside a ring as well. The carved image is known in Jewish tradition as “David’s Harp” from the Old Testament book of Samuel. In Greek mythology it is called “Apollo’s Lyre” referring to the infant Hermes’ birth.
Protecting Israel’s Cultural Heritage Sites
“Israel’s coasts are rich in sites and finds that are immensely important national and international cultural heritage assets,” said Eli Eskozido, director of the IAA. “They are extremely vulnerable, which is why the IAA conducts underwater surveys to locate, monitor and salvage any antiquities.”
Ezkozido appealed to divers, “if you come across an ancient find, take a note of its underwater location, leave it in the sea and report it to us immediately. The discovery and documentation of artifacts at their original find spot has tremendous archeological importance and sometimes even a small find leads to a great discovery.”
We look forward to future finds on the seafloor and elsewhere that give insights into the world of the Bible and help us to keep thinking.
TOP PHOTO: Roman gold ring with green gemstone carved with the figure of a shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders found near Caesarea. (credit: Dafna Gazit/IAA)
