From the Heart of Jerusalem to the People of Iran: A Sassanid Treasure in the Soil of the Temple Mount

A rare 7th-century Sassanid seal discovered during sorting beads sparks a fascinating debate: zebu or stag? This artifact reveals Jerusalem’s Persian era and symbolizes deep, historic solidarity with Iran.
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“And Grant You Peace” A Night of Scholarship, Song, and Memory for Dr. Gabriel Barkay

This past Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the hall at Yad Ben-Zvi in Jerusalem was filled with friends, family, colleagues, and students who had gathered to mark the shloshim (30 days) of our teacher, co-founder, and friend, Dr. Gabriel…

Gabriel Barkay z”l (1944-2026)

It is with great sorrow and deep shock that we announce the passing of Gabriel Barkay, founder and co-director of the Sifting Project. We assume most of you have already heard the sad news, but we felt it important to provide a formal update…

Stone of the Siege: 10th of Tevet and the Defense of the Temple Mount

Imaginative depiction (ahistorical) of what the siege against Jerusalem may have looked like On this 10th of Tevet, a day marking the onset of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, we reflect on the transition of the Temple Mount from a sacred…

Find and Finder Of The Month: David and Liron Shimron and A Small Iron Tool

David Shimron and his wife Liron traveled from Tiberias to Jerusalem to participate in the sifting alongside David’s mother and brother. They came not seeking treasure, but to share a meaningful family experience. Yet, as they sifted…
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The “Degraded Hasmonean Coins” – A Silent Witness to the Price of Brotherly Conflict

Archaeologist and numismatist Haim Shaham examining finds at the sifting site. His doctoral research has shed new light on the historical significance of the "Degraded Coins." About 2,092 years ago, the magnificent Hasmonean kingdom…
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🏅 Finder and Find of the Month: Irène Pollak-Rein and the Glass Ring 

Irène showing of her many rings Irène Pollak-Rein, born in Zurich, Switzerland, has lived a life deeply intertwined with Jewish history and the city of Jerusalem. A madricha in Bnei Akiva during the Six-Day War, she made the decision to…
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Thanksgiving — Then and Now

Long before turkey and pumpkin pie, the holiday of Shavuot was the ancient Israelite prosperity “Thanksgiving,” celebrating the end of the grain harvest season and the bringing of the bikkurim, the first produce, to the Temple in Jerusalem.…

Find and Finder of the Month: Saved By the Bell! Shayna and Mia’s Bronze Crotal Bell 

This summer, Shayna Eizikovitz and Mia Rauzman, 11th grade students at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School in Teaneck, NJ, made a delightful discovery while volunteering at the Temple Mount Sifting Project: a bronze crotal bell with…

Like Clay – Yom Kippur Reflections from the Temple Mount Sifting Project

The soil of the Temple Mount has yielded thousands of finds that reflect the very crafts described in the Like Clay poem. Every item uncovered in the sifting also tells of the ancient workmanship that brought it into being - many of them the very arts portrayed in the poem.

Find and Finder of the Month: Adam Cohen found a Hellenistic Lead Sling Bullet

Everyone knows that David fell Goliath with a pinpointed pebble stone from a sling. But did you know that sling bullets were still commonly in use a thousand years later? During the summer season, Adam Cohen from Jerusalem uncovered what may…

Find and Finder of the Month: Reed Impressions in Ceramic Ornamentation 

Leah Navarre from France made an exciting discovery while volunteering with the Temple Mount Sifting Project—a ceramic fragment bearing ancient reed impressions.  Reed-based ornamentation is a frequent decorative…