A rare ceramic oil lamp, dating back to the 4th century CE, was recently uncovered by the Israeli Antiquities Authorities in an excavation near Har Hazeisim in Yerushalayim. The IAA announced on Thursday that this significant find will be displayed for the first time to the public during Chanukah.

The lamp is remarkable not only for its age but also for the unique depictions it features, which are related to the Second Bais Hamikdosh. Among the imagery are a seven-branched menorah—distinct from the nine-branched menorahs used during Chanukah—an incense shovel used by kohanim, and a lulav.

Found a few months ago, the lamp was discovered in excellent condition, a rare occurrence for objects of this type, an official from the IAA told The Times of Israel. After detailed analysis, it was determined that the lamp is around 1,700 years old, originating from the late Roman period. Michael Chernin, the director of the excavation, described the find as “particularly surprising” because evidence of Jewish settlements in and around Yerushalayim from this time is scarce.

The Second Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed in 70 CE, and after the Bar Kochba Revolt was crushed by the Roman emperor Hadrian in 135 CE, Jews were expelled from Yerushalayim, which was subsequently renamed Aelia Capitolina. Chernin pointed out that “the Mount of Olives lamp is one of the few material traces of a Jewish presence around Jerusalem in the 3rd-5th centuries CE.”

The IAA also highlighted the personal connection to the artifact, noting that “Just as today many of us possess objects of Jewish significance,” the lamp’s owner would have had an item to remember the Second Bais Hamikdosh, even 200 years after its destruction.

The lamp was crafted in an ancient workshop near Beit Shemesh known as “Beit Nattif,” according to IAA research archaeologist Benjamin Storchan. Storchan explained that the lamp was created in two parts, using “delicately and intricately carved limestone molds” into which clay was poured. The two halves were then pressed together and fired, allowing for the creation of “refined designs.”

“The nozzle and lamp shoulders were decorated with geometric designs and the center features a detailed depiction of the seven-branched menorah with a tripod base,” Storchan added, emphasizing that the menorah’s presence on the lamp made it “exceedingly rare.”

Storchan also commented on the lamp’s cultural significance, calling it “a fascinating testimony connecting everyday objects and faiths among ancient Jerusalem’s inhabitants.” He suggested that the lamp likely belonged to a Jew who acquired it due to its religious symbolism and as a memorial to the Bais Hamikdosh.