Israeli Hikers Find 2,300-Year-Old Cache of Ancient Coins, Jewelry

Hikers in Israel have reportedly found a collection of coins dating back 2,300 years in a cave in northern Israel.

The coins were found hiding in a remote stalactite cave in northern Israel by three members of the Israeli Caving Club, a group of recreational spelunkers who visit caves in the region.

The three men visiting the cave, including a father, his son and a friend, spent hours recently exploring the cave in preparation for an upcoming visit by their club. Hidden in one of the cave's most remote alcoves, one of the men found two silver coins dating back to the time of Alexander the Great, as well as a small cloth pouch filled with silver jewelry that including rings, bracelets and earrings.

"The valuables might have been hidden in the cave by local residents who fled there during the period of governmental unrest stemming from the death of Alexander, a time when the Wars of the Diadochi broke out in Israel between Alexander's heirs following his death," archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement, as reported by the Jewish Press.

"Presumably the cache was hidden in the hope of better days, but today we know that whoever buried the treasure never returned to collect it," they added.

Amir Ganor, director of the IAA's Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery in the Israel Antiquities Authority, told Live Science that the three men who found the treasure should be commended for notifying the IAA of their discovery.

"They understood the importance of the archaeological discovery and exhibited exemplary civic behavior by immediately bringing these impressive archaeological finds to the attention of the IAA," Ganor said.