Researchers have found a "unique" collection of "cave pearls"—some of which contain archaeological artifacts—in an ancient tunnel, a study has reported.
Cave pearls fall under the category of "speleothems," which is a term used for different mineral deposits found within caves, such as stalactites and stalagmites.
Spherical in shape, cave pearls are typically small, measuring between 0.1 millimeters and 30 centimeters (around 12 inches) across.
Often discovered in shallow waters rich in calcite minerals, these formations typically detach from the cave’s floor, walls, or ceiling, which contrasts with most speleothems.
In the latest study, published in the journal Archaeometry , a team of researchers report the discovery of 50 cave pearls in an ancient tunnel located in the Jerusalem Hills of Israel.
Cave pearls have previously been found on most continents, yet they are "very rare" in the Southern Levant region, the authors said, adding that the recently uncovered assemblage is the largest and richest ever found in the region.
Cave pearls develop with a core that may consist of various substances like small rock bits, chunks of mud, sections of blue-green algae, splinters of wood, and remains of animal bones.
However, some instances within the newly found collection seem to have developed around ancient objects—an occurrence never before recorded by researchers.
Unlike many other types of speleothems, cave pearls typically have a much younger age, usually spanning only several hundred years, because they grow at an accelerated pace.
The study authors noted in their paper that until now, cave pearls have not been discovered in an archaeological setting or utilized for such investigations.
While exploring the Joweizeh spring tunnel in the Jerusalem Hills, the research team unexpectedly discovered a collection of 50 cave pearls. Spring tunnels were historically built structures aimed at accessing water trapped within elevated underground layers known as perched aquifers.
Over 210 spring tunnels have been identified in the mountainous regions of the Southern Levant, possibly making this area the most densely populated with such structures globally.
The Joweizeh spring tunnel is one of the longest and most ancient found so far in the Southern Levant. The tunnel is divided into two main segments and has an overall length of more than 760 feet.
Earlier findings suggested that the beginnings of the structure trace back to the 8th-to early 7th centuries B.C., placing it within the late Iron Age II phase. In this area, this era generally covers the timespan from the 10th century B.C. through the early 6th century B.C. It’s possible that the tunnel was built as part of a royal residence.
The researchers were not searching for cave pearls when they carried out a survey at Joweizeh in 2017. However, they stumbled upon signs of ancient artifact theft along with an entrance to a section that had been closed off and branches away from the primary passage heading southwards. This recently exposed part measures approximately 23 feet in length and is obstructed by dirt and rubble.
Within this section and the accompanying debris, the team discovered a collection of cave pearls along with an undamaged oil lamp, probably from the period between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.
The scientists then performed examinations of the cave pearls to gain insights into their structure, makeup, and timeline. Their findings revealed that out of the 50 samples, 14 were built up around shards of pottery—with two seeming to come from clay lamps—whereas the core of another pair was made up of bits of old plaster.
The charcoal taken from the cores of two cave pearls was found to be approximately contemporaneous with the Hellenistic era (333–63 BC). The analysis of the pottery cores indicated that many likely originated during either the Hellenistic age or the subsequent Roman-Byzantine epochs, covering the timeframe from 63 BC through the initial phases of the Islamic conquests in the 7th century AD.
However, there were some exceptions, such as one shard (referred to as J-14), which seems linked to earlier dating extending back beyond the Hellenistic era into either the Persian period (535-333 BC) or possibly further still to the Babylonian times (586-535 BC)—or conceivably even reaching back to the Iron Age.
According to the researchers, recent findings indicate several phases of tunnel use and cave pearl creation. The research offers proof that a restoration project occurred within the tunnel during the Hellenistic era, likely conducted using lamp illumination.
The pottery shards and additional discoveries detailed in the study suggest that the tunnel was utilized from the Hellenistic era through the Byzantine period. However, this investigation also illuminates the source of the structure’s building materials.
"The findings from our investigation reinforce our belief that the passage was initially built during the Iron Age, approximately between the 8th and 7th centuries B.C," explained Azriel Yechezkel, who leads the study at the Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University. Pawonation.com Additionally, this offers the initial analytical dating of artifacts discovered within the pearls, indicating that the tunnel underwent a reconstruction phase during the Hellenistic period.
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Updated on December 12, 2024, at 11:14 AM ET: The piece has been revised to include further details and comments from Azriel Yechezkel.
Reference
Yechezkel, A., Vaknin, Y., Cooper-Frumken, S., Ryb, U., Shaar, R., Gadot, Y., & Frumkin, A. (2024). Determining the age of an old spring tunnel through archaeological artifacts acting as centers for cave pearls. Archaeometry . https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13031
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