In the hills surrounding Jerusalem, a battle is taking place that most tourists never see. It isn’t a military conflict or political dispute. It’s a race against time to protect the physical evidence of biblical history from thieves determined to profit from the past.
According to a recent report by CBN News correspondent Joshua Swanson, archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority are confronting antiquities looters almost every night as criminals target ancient sites across the land of Israel.
Standing on the slopes of Mount Scopus overlooking Jerusalem, archaeologist Dr. Eitan Klein pointed to a seemingly ordinary hillside where looters had recently been caught digging.
“This is the entrance to Jerusalem, actually,” Klein said. “We are on the slopes of Mount Scopus, and at that side here we caught the looters last month.”
What appeared to be an unremarkable patch of ground was anything but. Klein showed pottery fragments scattered on the surface, including what he identified as a shard likely dating back to the Second Temple period.
To order Dinesh D’Souza’s new book, The Stones Cry Out, visit Amazon.com.
The looters knew exactly what they were looking for.
“They were looking for the entrance of a cave,” Klein explained, describing how thieves search for ancient burial sites and hidden chambers that may contain valuable artifacts.
But once a site has been disturbed, the loss is often irreversible.
“What does that do to the science?” Swanson asked.
“Actually, it’s a total loss,” Klein replied.
For archaeologists, the value of an artifact extends far beyond the object itself. The location, depth and surrounding evidence all help tell the story of the people who once lived there. When looters remove items without documenting their context, entire chapters of history can disappear forever.
The problem has become so widespread that Klein says authorities are constantly on alert.
“You need to know that almost every night someone is trying to steal antiquities all around the state of Israel,” he said.
Israel occupies a landmass smaller than New Jersey, yet it contains some of the most significant archaeological sites in the world—many directly connected to the events and people recorded in Scripture.
“This is the place where Jesus walked,” Klein said.
Among the most frequently targeted items are ancient coins. While thieves see financial gain, archaeologists see historical evidence.
“It’s very important because it dates the level. You can see who was the ruler,” Klein explained. “But the looters usually look for coins, and they look for coins with a metal detector.”
As Swanson examined trays filled with recovered artifacts, Klein offered a passionate explanation of what is truly being stolen.
“This is what I said, that they are stealing our history,” he said. “It’s a piece of history.”
Looking at ancient gold coins, Klein emphasized that archaeologists see something far more valuable than precious metal.
“You see here a gold, but I see archaeological items,” he said. “It’s many, many pieces of history that now I cannot complete. I cannot complete the story.”
For Klein, protecting these artifacts is about more than preserving objects. It is about safeguarding the historical record of the land where biblical events unfolded.
“The stories about the land of Israel, the people of Israel, the biblical stories and other, they spoke to me,” he said. “This is the land where most of the stories that our heritage is based on, it was here. And we have to protect it.”
As looters continue to target ancient sites, the struggle is about far more than treasure hunting. It is a fight to preserve the physical testimony of a land where God’s redemptive story unfolded—and where every artifact helps illuminate the historical truth recorded in Scripture.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
