STORY: Location: Near the Dead Sea, West Bank

Israeli archaeologists were allowed rare access to excavate this desert cliff cave

The Muraba‘at Cave is only accessible via a steep trail through the rocky terrain

Volunteers helped sift through buckets of dirt during the week-long excavation

[Amir Ganor, Head of anti-theft unit, Israel Antiquities Authority]

"Do you know what this is? This is the muzzle of a candle, it's a scrubbed candle. It's a candle that is dated between the first century BC and the first century AD."

Date: December 28, 2022

The team discovered antiquities, such as some 180 historical papyrus certificates

one bearing the name of Shimon Bar Yochai, a Jewish leader who rebelled against the Romans

It's believed the cave's inhabitants were people in power who had to flee due to conflict