Two Furidis residents caught red-handed collecting ancient coins

The Israel Antiquities Authority filed an indictment against two residents of Furidis, Amir Varkani (27) and Yosef Varkani (33), suspected of collecting antiquities at the Horbat Hadarim site. The two were caught with 13 ancient bronze coins and additional items. The incident occurred on March 9, and the indictment was filed with the Hadera Magistrate's Court.

The Israel Antiquities Authority today (Wednesday) filed an indictment with the Hadera Magistrate's Court against Amir Varkani, 27, and Yosef Varkani, 33, residents of Furidis, on suspicion of collecting antiquities at the archaeological site of Horbat Hadarim (Horbat Haidra), west of Moshav Ein Ayla on the Carmel coast. According to the indictment, the two arrived at the declared site on March 9 this year with four metal detectors, digging tools, a pickaxe, a knife, a hammer, flashlights, batteries, headphones, gloves, and dedicated bags. They scanned the ground and dug whenever a metal signal was received. An Israel Antiquities Authority inspector, Nir Distelfeld, along with a Nature and Parks Authority inspector and a police officer, caught them with 13 ancient bronze coins, three bronze items, two lead items, and 14 unidentified metal items. The site was declared an antiquities site in 1964 and is considered one of the most important in the area between Ein Ayla and Tel Dor, with remains of an ancient settlement, buildings, tombs, quarries, a square structure, and a mosaic. The Antiquities Authority emphasizes that antiquities robbery erases historical information that cannot be reconstructed, and therefore the damage to heritage is often greater than the monetary value of the item.