TEK AVIV Israeli archeologists said Sunday they have found a hoard of gold and bronze coins, some more than 2,000 years old, beneath the floor of an ancient Jewish synagogue in the northern Galilee region.

The 500 coins, 250 gold and 250 bronze, were discovered during excavations at Khirbeth Meruth. The oldest coins depict the Hasmonean king of Judea, Alexander Yanai, meaning they date back to about 100 B.C. Other coins date back to the Byzantine empire of about 800 A.D. Khirbet Meruth has been under excavation for three years.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 8, 1985