Daily Caller
By Kay Smythe
January 29, 2024
A study published in the most recent issue of Israel Numismatic Research argues two coin weights found in the soil of the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, suggest a church once sat upon the land, according to a press release by the Temple Mount Sifting Project.
The Byzantine-era coin weights were uncovered and publicized by members of the Temple Mount Sifting Project (TMSP). The two artefacts are of the “very rare four keration denomination,” which translates to around 0.6g in today’s metrics, according to the TMSP press release. One of the weights is made of a purple glass, and is imprinted with an Imperial stamp that has been long-lost to history, the release continued. It’s thought this particular coin was likely made in Constantinople, the old Byzantine capital, and was brought to Jerusalem prior to the Muslim conquest, the release said.