The Jpost is reporting that a cache of hundreds of fragments of ancient Jewish documents, dating back 1,000 years, have been discovered at a dig in Afghanistan. The scholars believe the site was a geniza – or repository for holy documents, similar to the Cairo geniza, which was discovered in the late 19th century.
Photo by: Assaf Peretz/courtesy of IAA
Among the items uncovered were signet rings bearing Jewish or Israelite names like Shmuel bar Yosef, a history of the Jewish kingdom which was hitherto unknown, and a dirge eulogizing a well-known community figure. The finds from this geniza will no doubt be fascinating as they are uncovered and deciphered.
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