A news story today tells of Israel's Mediterranean coast giving back a treasure hoard of gold coins—the largest treasure trove ever discovered. The group of scuba divers discovered the coins by pure chance. At first, the members of a diving club in the Roman-era port thought they had found a toy coin on the ocean floor. When they realized the coin was genuine, they collected several coins and returned to the shore to inform the director of the dive club about their find.
The coins are thought to have been circulated by the Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled much of the Middle East and North Africa from 909 to 1171.
The director of the marine archaeology unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said excavations would be carried out in the hope of shedding more light on the origin of the treasure. Perhaps they'd find the shipwreck of an official treasury boat on its way to the central government in Egypt with taxes that had been collected meant to pay the salaries of the Fatimid military garrison which was stationed in Caesarea and protected the city.
The director of the marine archaeology unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said excavations would be carried out in the hope of shedding more light on the origin of the treasure. Perhaps they'd find the shipwreck of an official treasury boat on its way to the central government in Egypt with taxes that had been collected meant to pay the salaries of the Fatimid military garrison which was stationed in Caesarea and protected the city.
History: The Fatimid Caliphate was a Shia Muslim caliphate named after Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, whom the Fatimids claimed as their ancestor. It controlled a large region in Northern Africa along the Mediterranean coast from 909 to 1171, and was ultimately centered in Egypt. This was a rare example of when the Ismaili branch of Shi'ism, the Fatimids, were united with the Caliphate. The dynasty was known for some religious tolerance, where advancement was based on merit, not class or faith. In 969 Under the rule of Caliph Al-Muizz, Fatimid general Jawhar conquered the Egyptian Ikhshidid dynasty and built a new capital there, called al-Qahira (Cairo).
In another theory, the treasure could have been money belonging to a large wrecked merchant ship that traded with the coastal cities and the port on the Mediterranean Sea.
The Israeli Antiquities Authority declined to put a cash value on the coins, which it said had been exposed as a result of winter storms.
When I looked up images labeled for reuse, I was astounded to see the flag, recalled from a vivid dream in the 70s. A gold crescent moon on the left almost swallows a star on a green background. My dream concerned my husband at that time, who acted as a powerful, cruel leader. Strange how some dreams remain in your memory. I believe in reincarnation, and think my dream revealed our past connection. In this way, past and present are linked, not only through remaining artifacts, but also in our remarkable human brain.
When you consider the circumstances of your birth, you must wonder. Why did you join the family and country of your birth? You could have just as easily arrived in another land to different parents. What if you'd been born under the ISIS persuasion? Would you then adopt their beliefs? We can never condemn those of another race or persuasion. 'There, for the grace of God, go I.'
And so, the ancient treasure found off the coast of Israel points out the futility of power wrangles between different factions.
In another theory, the treasure could have been money belonging to a large wrecked merchant ship that traded with the coastal cities and the port on the Mediterranean Sea.
The Israeli Antiquities Authority declined to put a cash value on the coins, which it said had been exposed as a result of winter storms.
When I looked up images labeled for reuse, I was astounded to see the flag, recalled from a vivid dream in the 70s. A gold crescent moon on the left almost swallows a star on a green background. My dream concerned my husband at that time, who acted as a powerful, cruel leader. Strange how some dreams remain in your memory. I believe in reincarnation, and think my dream revealed our past connection. In this way, past and present are linked, not only through remaining artifacts, but also in our remarkable human brain.
When you consider the circumstances of your birth, you must wonder. Why did you join the family and country of your birth? You could have just as easily arrived in another land to different parents. What if you'd been born under the ISIS persuasion? Would you then adopt their beliefs? We can never condemn those of another race or persuasion. 'There, for the grace of God, go I.'
And so, the ancient treasure found off the coast of Israel points out the futility of power wrangles between different factions.
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