Ancient Jerusalem Tunnel Yields Archaeological Cave Pearls

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University have discovered the largest known deposit of cave pearls in the southern Levant, located in the Joweizeh spring tunnel near Jerusalem. Uniquely, some of these 50 cave pearls contain archaeological artifacts, marking the first such discovery worldwide. The artifacts, including pottery sherds and plaster, date back to various historical periods, including the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine eras. This accidental find provides new insights into the historical use and maintenance of the ancient tunnel system.