Wine press (illustration)
Wine press (illustration)Thinkstock

Israel's Antiquities Authority on Monday announced the discovery of a 1,400-year-old wine press in Jerusalem, AFP reported.

What makes the discovery of this antiquity so unique is that it was unearthed by none other than a 13-year-old boy.

A woman walking her dog in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood first alerted the  authorities after finding signs of an archaeological dig near her home, the report said.

Members of the authority, surprised to hear about an excavation they did not know about, chanced upon the young archaeology buff who explained that he had organized the dig with friends.

The teen discovered the wine press, estimated to date back nearly two and a half millennia and measuring some five meters (16 feet) by five meters.

"This story touched us, but be aware that any unauthorised archaeological dig can destroy important artifacts," the Antiquities Authority's Amit Reem said in a statement.

He said the youthful amateurs had now been invited to take part in authorized digs monitored by professionals.

AFP contributed to this report.