The caves along the cliffs of the Judean Desert, above the western shore of the Dead Sea, were the last refuge of Jewish rebels during the Bar Kokhba revolt against Rome (132-135 CE). The caves, accessible only by rope or dangerous cliff paths, yielded some of the most dramatic archaeological finds in Israel: letters written by Bar Kokhba himself, personal belongings of the refugees who died in the caves, and a hoard of precious objects hidden 1,900 years ago.
Letters of Bar Kokhba
In 1960, the archaeologist Yigael Yadin led an expedition to the Cave of Letters in Nahal Hever and discovered a bundle of papyrus letters written by Simon Bar Kokhba, the leader of the revolt. The letters, addressed to his commanders, are terse and authoritative: “From Shimon bar Kosiba to the men of En-gedi. You sit, eat, and drink from the property of the House of Israel, and you do not care about your brothers.” The letters transformed Bar Kokhba from a semi-legendary figure into a real person with a real voice, an impatient commander demanding supplies, loyalty, and action.
Cave of Horror
The Cave of Horror, in Nahal Hever, earned its name from the discovery of 40 skeletons, men, women, and children who took refuge in the cave and died of starvation when the Romans camped on the cliff above and waited them out. The personal objects found with the remains, combs, keys, sandals, mirrors, and a bundle of wool still attached to spindles, are heartbreaking in their ordinariness. These were people who grabbed what they could carry and fled to the most inaccessible place they could find, and it was not enough.
Treasure of the Cave of Letters
The Cave of Letters also contained a bundle of 35 bronze vessels, some from the Temple era, wrapped in palm fibers and hidden in a crevice. The vessels include jugs, bowls, incense shovels, and paterae (libation dishes), some of Roman manufacture. Scholars believe the objects were either looted from Roman camps during the revolt or taken from the destroyed Temple and hidden for safekeeping. The hoard is now displayed at the Israel Museum.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
The Bar Kokhba caves tell the story of the last Jewish revolt against Rome. Hoshen Tours tells the story at Masada, Qumran, or at the Israel Museum where the letters and objects are displayed.