Cave of the Swords

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Cave of the Swords, also called Cave of the Hermit, is a small two-level cave in the Judaean Desert on a stepped cliff above the Dead Sea, north of Ein Gedi in modern Israel. It sits in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, about 236 meters below sea level and roughly 150 meters above the shoreline road, with the ruins of Ein Gedi town a short distance to the south.

Inscriptions and dates
- In 1973, archaeologists found fragmentary Hebrew writing painted on a stalactite high in the cave. Paleographers dated the text to the late 8th or early 7th century BCE, during the Kingdom of Judah. The lines are often read as a blessing or prayer, possibly written by a lone person looking out from the upper entrance.
- In 2019, some researchers suggested the inscription might date to the Roman period, perhaps from the Bar Kokhba revolt, but the script still seems strongly tied to earlier periods.
- In 2023, multispectral imaging helped clarify the faded writing. A clearer reading suggested the phrase could say something like “Blessed ... in the valley,” possibly referring to the biblical Valley of Salt near the Dead Sea.
- Also in 2023, a second inscription in Aramaic was found on the same stalactite. It is short and dates to the 1st or 2nd century CE, making it likely related to the Bar Kokhba era, though it seems not directly connected to the Hebrew blessing.

Weapons cache and dating
- During the 2023 work, archaeologists uncovered a hidden stash of Roman-era weapons in a deep crevice on the upper level. The find included an iron pilum head and four swords still in wooden scabbards with metal and leather fittings.
- The swords come in several types, including a Pompeii-type spatha from the late 1st to early 2nd century CE, a similar sword with a copper-alloy scabbard chape, another longer sword, and a ring-pommel type sword. A Bar Kokhba coin found near the cave entrance supports dating the cache to the 2nd century CE.
- The evidence suggests these weapons were probably captured from Roman soldiers and hidden by Jewish rebels for future use.

Layout and finds
- The cave has two levels. The lower chamber is longer and easier to access from the north, with an east-facing entrance. A natural wall of tufa and stalactites partly divides it, and a narrow shaft leads up to the upper chamber.
- The upper level is smaller and sits above the lower one, with tufa and other formations concentrated on the southern side.
- A fragmentary Hebrew inscription sits in the southern part of the upper level, while the Aramaic inscription is on the lower part of the same stalactite.

History of study
- In 1973, Ofra Aharoni identified the Hebrew inscription during a visit.
- In 1974, Pessah Bar-Adon led an archaeological excavation.
- Between 2002 and 2004, surveys mapped the cave’s structure and environment.
- In 2022, the Israel Antiquities Authority surveyed the cave as part of the Judean Desert Caves Project.
- In 2023, Asaf Gayer and colleagues documented the inscriptions with multispectral imaging and found the weapon cache.
- National Geographic highlighted the 2023 discoveries as one of the year’s most exciting finds.