Ancient Roman ring discovered by teenager in Israeli national park
The Golan Heights has connections to ancient Jewish and biblical history
A 13-year-old teenager from northern Israel discovered an ancient Roman-era ring during a visit to the Sussita National Park in the Golan Heights.
“It was a strange and ancient-looking ring,” said Itamar Grossman, who recalled that his brothers and cousins initially did not believe the ring was ancient.
“My brothers and cousins who were with me didn't think it was anything old, just a ring someone had dropped. But I insisted; I took it to my parents, and we noticed it was engraved, and thought it was really old. We approached a representative from the Nature and Parks Authority who was there, and they took the ring for initial examination,” Grossman said.
Sarit Palachi Miara, the head of Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s visitor experience, said she immediately recognized the importance of Grossman's accidental discovery.
“When Itamar and his mother, Liat, approached us and showed us the ring they found, we immediately realized it was something significant,” said Miara.
The State of Israel won the Golan Heights from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967 when Syria, Jordan and Egypt coordinated an attack against Israel. However, the Golan Heights is connected to ancient Jewish and biblical history, including Mount Bental, Gilgal Refaim and Gamla, known for its resistance against Roman occupation during the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 A.D.
Today, the relatively sparsely populated Golan Heights has developed into a popular northern destination for both Israeli and international tourists.
The Golan Heights is also strategically important for the defense of Israel’s northern borders. In December 2021, then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced his government’s decision to double the Jewish population in the Golan Heights in order to strengthen Israel’s control of the strategic region.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
