Archaeologists have unearthed an oil lamp from the Hasmonean Period in the City of David in Jerusalem. The 2,000-year-old lantern, which has been preserved in its entirety, was discovered during excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the Ir David Foundation.

Archaeologists were excavating the road that was used for pilgrimages in the days of the Second Temple. The road is nearly 600 meters (2,000 feet) long and eight meters (26 feet) wide. It connects the Siloam Pool in the south of the City of David and the foot of the Temple Mount.

The oil lamp is made of clay and has plant decorations on its tip, probably a branch with leaves. It is typical of the first century BCE, at the end of the Hasmonean rule during the Second Temple period.

IAA director of excavations Ari Levy said that these oil lamps and candles were used for different purposes, from simple everyday uses, such as lighting rooms and streets, to religious ceremonial uses like Shabbat. “We are used to finding only parts of them. It’s not every day that we get to find one preserved in its entirety,” Levy said.