Coin Hoard from Ein Gedi
The excavations of En-Gedi yielded 1,247 coins, most of them (about 80%) from the area of the village. Such a large number of coins is indicative of intensive economic activity. Two hoards of gold coins, one consisting of 15 coins of Justinian (527-565) and the other comprising five coins of Anastasius (498-518), came as something of a surprise, since gold coins have usually been found thus far in urban rather than village contexts; their presence at En-Gedi is indicative of exceptional commercial activity. This activity was undoubtedly related to the perfume trade and other products of the Dead Sea, such as dates, salt and bitumen.