Family Returns 3,500-year-old Metal Relics Collection to Israel

When the children of the recently deceased Marcel Mazliah, who worked for the Hadera Power Station since 1973, found a collection of metal artifacts that he collected during the construction of the power station, they decided to return the objects to the Israel Antiquities Authority. After the experts looked over the metal artifacts, they discovered the objects were about 3,500 years old.

“The representatives of the Israel Antiquities Authority were surprised by what they found: metal objects, most of which are decorated, that apparently fell overboard from a metal merchant’s ship in the Early Islamic period.”

According to IAA curator Ayala Lester, several invaluable relics were found by the late father, including a hand grenade that was common in Israel during the Crusader, Ayyubid and Mamluk periods.

“The finds include a toggle pin and the head of a knife from the Middle Bronze Age, from more than 3,500 years ago,” said Lester.

“The other items, among them, two mortars and two pestles, fragments of candlesticks, etc., date to the Fatimid period [11th century CE]. The items were apparently manufactured in Syria and were brought to Israel. The finds are evidence of the metal trade that was conducted during this period.”

IFCJ News