HEBRON, Israel, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Authorities in Israel brought charges Sunday against several men found looting ancient artifacts from a cliff-side desert cave near where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
The Israel Antiquities Authority released a statement indicating the men were indicted after being observed at a cave in the Judean Desert "carrying out an illicit excavation while using a metal detector and a large amount of excavating equipment."
One artifact recovered from the accused thieves includes a lice comb from the Roman period 2,000 years ago.
Volunteers with the Arad Rescue Unit were on a routine training operation in the area last week when they noticed suspicious activity in what archeologists call "The Cave of Skulls," in the northern cliff of Nahal Ze'elim, in the region of the Leopard's Ascent.
"The cave is located in the side of the cliff, 150 meters above the bottom of Nahal Ze'elim and some 70 meters below the top of the cliff," the statement says. "It can only be reached on foot via a narrow goat's path on top of rock fall, that passes upright bedrock walls and is extremely dangerous."
Inspectors with the Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery, part of the Israel Antiquities Authority, put the cave under surveillance and arrested the suspects after they climbed back up the cliff. The men -- all from the village of Seir -- were young and equipped with "excavation tools, break-in equipment, two sophisticated metal detectors, lighting equipment and ropes, as well as large amounts of food and water, which indicate their intention to remain in the cave for many days."
They are the first suspects to be caught stealing from the desert cliffs in 30 years.
Between 1947 and 1950, ancient Biblical texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the same area.
Amir Ganor, director of the Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery in the Israel Antiquities Authority, said antiquities robbers have raided Judean Desert cliffs for years.
"The robbers attempt to locate and find Dead Sea Scrolls, pieces of ancient texts and unique artifacts that were left in the caves, particularly during the Great Revolt against the Romans in 66–70 CE and the Bar Kokhba Revolt in 132–135 CE, when Jewish fighters fearing the Roman army sought refuge in the desert," Ganor said. "These finds are sold for large sums of money in the antiquities markets in Israel and around the world."
Ganor notes how the arid desert climate helps to preserve such artifacts, and the challenge of catching thieves is "mainly due to the difficultly in detecting and catching them on the wild desert cliffs."
