Second Temple Era Burial Cave Found by Police 

IFCJ Canada  |  September 4, 2026

Few places in the world have as much history waiting to be unearthed as Israel. Many of these treasures – ancient cemeteries, lost villages, and other sites from biblical times – are uncovered during construction work or land surveys, often not by archaeologists, but by everyday people during a regular workday. 

This week, Israeli Border Police officers discovered an ancient burial cave beneath east Jerusalem  while securing the area following recent violence. 

Police called the find into the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), which sent over personnel to properly survey and document the site. 

Preliminary investigations by the IAA indicate that the burials date back to the Second Temple period, between 516 BCE to 70 CE. Other archaeological artifacts were also found within the cave. 

Israel and Border Police are securing the area in coordination with the IAA, in order to continue studying the findings as required. 

The artifacts have not yet been made public, as the site remains in the early stages of investigation and the discoveries have not yet been fully catalogued. The IAA will continue securing the area and determining whether additional archaeological finds remain uncovered.