During recent archaeological excavations at Susya, a rare and exceptional find was uncovered: a bronze scale pan.
The find, located in the heart of the residential and commercial area of the ancient town, offers physical evidence of the values of justice and fairness present in the daily lives of the inhabitants, illustrating the application of the biblical commandment "You shall have honest scales and honest weights."
The scale pan discovered was part of a system of mobile hanging balance scales, which were widely used in ancient Israel during that period. The newly-discovered pan is a small bronze bowl with tiny holes along the edges, to which the scale pans would be suspended.
Dr. Ahiya Cohen-Tabor, who led the excavation, said that finding a scale pan in the heart of an ancient Jewish settlement is like "finding a book of ethics buried in the ground." He emphasized that the find reflects the moral and just principles of the people of Susya, who operated according to the biblical commandment to have "honest scales."
Nachshon, who found the artifact with his daughter Neta, shared: "I went to accompany my daughter, who was excavating with a 2nd-grade class from the Susya School. It is inspiring to see young children working professionally and following all the careful and delicate excavation rules, as they run every few minutes to the archaeologist with another ancient item to get an explanation."
Eliram Azoulay, head of the Har Hebron Regional Council, stated: "The community excavation project allows the younger generation to take an active part in uncovering our heritage and connecting to our roots. We are fortunate that the education system in the Har Hebron is a partner in such meaningful and special work. We in the Council will continue to support these initiatives, which connect education, history, and hands-on activities."