Copper Plates Baffle Archaeologists

First discovered during a survey two years ago, four disk-shaped copper plates found by archaeologists near the ancient site of Hippos-Sussita just east of the Sea of Galilee continue to mystify them. 

Now, archaeologists involved in the ongoing excavations at the site are reaching out to scholars and the public alike to help them find the answer to the riddle.  

“They were found in the Hippos necropolis during several surveys”, says Israeli archaeologist Dr. Michael Eisenberg of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa, Israel. He directs the Hippos Excavation Project, which has uncovered remarkably well-preserved monumental remains and artifacts at this ancient mountaintop Greco-Roman city, a site that overlooks the Sea of Galilee. “None were found during excavation, but all were found very near to robbed and open graves. It was Dr. Alexander Iermolin, conservator from the institute of Haifa, who first found the pieces during a metal detector survey. They were totally ignored even by us as at first glance they look rather modern.”

The disk-shaped plates (see image below), about 20 cm in diameter and found at the necropolis hill located 300 m south of Hippos, feature what appear to be incisions in a decorative pattern on what has been interpreted as their inner sides, with clear marks of nails and a hole in the middle of each. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The four plates, showing the “inner” sides with decorative incisions and apparent nail marks. Courtesy Michael Eisenberg and the Hippos Excavation Project

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the necropolis has not yet been systematically excavated, the age and specific context of the plates could not be determined. Eisenberg states that the age of the necropolis may likely fall within the broad Hellenistic-Byzantine time range, as does the nearby Hippos-Sussita polis, which has been extensively excavated. But they were found outside of graves, not inside, so it is difficult to determine the provenance as they could not be associated with surrounding artifacts and human remains within the internments. 

Eisenberg suspects that they were first exposed as a result of looting. “The plates seemed to have been thrown out of the graves by ancient robbers”.

They may not be the only extant examples. “One similar plate was located recently in the Israeli treasury department, but without any context”, says Eisenberg. 

The question remains. And the telltale nail marks could be a clue. Asks Eisenberg for anyone willing to repond: “Has anyone encountered such plates and if so, do you know if they were set on wooden coffins?” 

Aerial view of Hippos-Sussita, near which the plates were found. Courtesy Michael Eisenberg and the Hippos Excavation Project

*Republished from Popular Archaeology with permission