Tourists accidentally discover a 2,300-year-old treasure trove in Israel

When planning an itinerary for a vacation, you probably wouldn't put "make a groundbreaking archaeological discovery" on your to-do list. But tourists in Israel discovered a treasure trove of 2,300-year-old coins and jewelry dating to the reign of Alexander the Great.

Reuven Zachai, his son Chen, and his friend Lior Hiloni are members of the Israel Caving Club. They visited a stalactite cave in northern Israel — the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has kept the location a secret to prevent looting — to survey the area before bringing the other club members. Chen soon noticed a shiny object that wasn't typical for the caves they explore.

The three men then discovered two ancient silver coins, which experts believe were minted during the rule of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Israel during the Hellenistic period, in the late fourth century B.C.E. After finding the coins, the cave explorers also discovered silver jewelry, including earrings, bracelets, and rings, as well as copper objects.

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The treasure trove is "one of the most important discoveries in the north" from the last few years, the IAA told Y Net News. Researchers said the find proves that humans lived in the cave for long periods of time.