The Israeli Civil Administration reported the seizure of dozens of archaeological artifacts from the Burj Lasana site in the West Bank. The operation took place in Area B near Wadi Haramiya after a Palestinian villa was constructed inside the protected archaeological zone, causing damage to ancient remains.
Inspectors, operating under the Staff Officer for Archaeology, recovered rare items looted from the nearby Crusader fortress. These included coins, stone architectural elements, capitals, and Byzantine columns that had been used as décor inside the villa. A metal detector found on the premises was also confiscated.
The artifacts were transferred to the Good Samaritan Museum for study and display.
Burj Lasana is considered a major archaeological site with evidence of continuous occupation from the Iron Age through the Middle Ages. Remains include a Crusader fortress, fragments of a Byzantine church, burial caves, a ritual bath, and early Roman agricultural installations.
Following political instructions, the archaeology unit increased surveillance of the site and identified those responsible for the damage. Officials stressed that the unauthorized construction directly harmed archaeological layers and disrupted the site’s stratigraphy.
The head of the enforcement unit stated that protecting antiquities is essential because damage to a single artifact also destroys part of the historical narrative it represents. He emphasized that efforts to combat looting and safeguard heritage sites will continue using all available tools.
source: jpost.com