Prof. Yadin Reports on Oldest Clothing Discovered in Israel

Clothing found by an Israeli archaeological expedition in the Judean Desert this year has provided the “oldest dated group” of objects ever found in Israel, Professor Yigael Yadin, leader of the expedition, reported here today. Dr. Yadin, former Chief of Staff of Israel’s Defense, Forces, and Professor of Archaeology at the Hebrew University, made the announcement at a press conference at the head quarters of the American Friends of the Hebrew University.

Professor Yadin has led two archaeological expeditions which discovered many, highly significant historical documents relating to the period of Bar Kochbah who led rebellion against the Roman occupants of Palestine during the years 132-35 of the Christian era. During the excavations, in caves near the Dead Sea, large quantities of clothing were found, the textiles being well preserved in the dry air inside the caves.

Professor Yadin reported that Miss Louisa Bellinger, of the Textile Museum in Washington, has now confirmed the historic significance of the textiles dating back to the Bar Kochba era. The clothing, Professor Yadin explained, was found in the same caves where his expedition had discovered documents that were “triple-dated.” The documents showed the year, month and day of the month according to the reign of the Roman emperors, the Roman consuls in Rome and the local calendar which was dated to correspond to the reign of Bar Kochba, “Prince of Israel.”