A spectacular, centuries-old gemstone ring has been unearthed from an excavation site in the central Israeli city of Yavne, the Israel Antiquities Authority said. The stone set in the gold ring being sold is called amethyst, and in ancient folklore, it was said to ward off hangover symptoms. The ring dates to the seventh century AD, which was the period when Palestine transitioned from Byzantine to Muslim rule.
The gemstone ring was found in central Israel and the amethyst stone on it was said to be a cure for drunkenness. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority
Gemstone rings from the Byzantine or Islamic period
The intricate, delicate ring was found in a former layer dating back to the seventh century AD. Since control of Palestine passed from the Byzantine authorities to the Muslim conquerors in 636, it may have been left to them during the Byzantine or Early Islamic period.
But the ring may not have been produced during that time period. As a precious item, it may be a family heirloom passed down through generations.
Rings of this type were commonly worn by the Romans, who occupied Yavne before the Byzantine period. This raises the possibility that the ring could have been several centuries old when its last owner dropped it in the location where it was found. According to excavation directors Dr. Eli Hadad, Liat Nadav-Ziv and Dr. Jon Seligman, the ring may have been worn by a Roman elite living in Yavne as early as the third century AD.
Based on the ring’s beautiful design and choice of raw materials, it clearly once belonged to someone of high status.
Dr. Amir Golani, a jewelry expert affiliated with the Israel Antiquities Authority, explains: “The bearer of the ring was a wealthy man and wearing the jewel demonstrated his status and wealth. me”.
Amethyst is the name given to purple quartz. Dr. Golani identified amethyst as one of the 12 stones added to the breastplate used by the high priests in the Temple, as described in the Book of Exodus in the Bible.
However, it has been used since more ancient times, in the first millennium AD, amethyst is most widely known for its ability to counteract the effects of alcohol consumption. The Greeks and Romans wore inlaid amethyst jewelry for this purpose (the Greeks appear to have started the custom), and the Byzantines most likely shared the belief in this superstition. This looks odd.
Wine barrels at the ancient Byzantine wine press in Yavne. (Yaniv Berman / Israel Antiquities Authority)
Notably, the ring found at Yavne was found during excavations at the vast Byzantine winery complex, unearthed this past summer. This factory produces a regionally coveted wine known as Gaza or Ashkelon wine, in honor of the ports from which it was shipped across the Mediterranean. The presence of the ring there clearly shows it was worn by someone who knew of the alcohol-reducing power of amethyst and hoped to take advantage of it.
“Does the person wearing the ring want to avoid getting drunk from drinking too much alcohol?” Dr. Elie Haddad asked rhetorically. “Perhaps we will never know.”
Perhaps the ring was worn (before its unfortunate loss) by an important guest who intended to take the opportunity to sample the winery’s precious products. Or it may have been worn and lost by the factory owner, who needed some form of protection when performing taste-testing duties.
Vases from Gaza may have been filled with Ashkelon wine mounted on a camel in a mosaic in a Byzantine-era church in the Holy Land. (yoav dothan / GFDL )
Yavne winemaker
Yavne Winery was built in the fourth or fifth century AD. It was extremely large for its time, with the capacity to produce up to 500,000 gallons (two million liters) of wine in a year. Gaza or Ashkelon wine was in high demand during the Byzantine period, and products produced at Yavne would be shipped to ports across the Mediterranean.
“The ring was found just 150 meters from the ruins of a warehouse that was used to store wine jars,” Haddad said. “Some of the jars were found upside down in their mouths and it is possible that there was a warehouse filled with empty jars before they were taken to the wine press to be filled with wine.”
During summer excavations at the winemaking complex, Haddad and his team found the remains of an ancient wine press in a layer dating to around the 4th century BC, when Palestine was under the control of the Persian Empire. This location can be considered ideal for wine production because of its proximity to highly productive vineyards.
