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Archaeologists discover artifact from massacre of 35 Israeli soldiers (photo)

Anastasia Kryshchuk

Archaeologists discover artifact from massacre of 35 Israeli soldiers (photo)
Archaeologists discover artifact from massacre of 35 Israeli soldiers (photo)

Israeli archaeologists have discovered a brass compass that was left behind during the massacre of 35 Israeli soldiers in 1948. This is an event that Israeli history calls the "Battle of the 35" during the War of Independence.

During the 1948 War of Independence, Arabs killed 35 Jews who ran out of ammunition. This is reported by the St. Louis Jewish Light.

It is noted that the history of the compass begins on January 16, 1948, when a convoy of 38 men from the Haganah, the main paramilitary organization of pre-state Israel, set out to deliver supplies to the besieged Jewish communities in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem. Three of the men returned early after one sprained his ankle and was unable to continue.

Read also: Excavation completed: archaeologists fully excavate mysterious structure found near St. Sophia of Kyiv

The convoy was discovered by Arabs. After a day-long struggle, the Jews ran out of ammunition. The Arabs killed and mutilated all 35 people in the convoy.

A compass and Bren-type machine gun boxes were found behind a rock on the top of the Battle Mountain, which apparently served as a hiding place for one of the soldiers. Forensic tests conducted at the Israeli police laboratories showed that the compass glass broke when it was hit by a bullet.

According to the researchers, the compass belonged to either the platoon commander, Captain Danny Mass, or one of the two scouts, Yitzhak Galevi or Yitzhak Ze'evuloni.

 
Israeli archaeologists find artifacts from the 1948 War of Independence. Source: Yuli Schwartz/Israel Antiquities

Earlier in Chernihiv, during the reconstruction of the water supply system on Lyubetska Street, an ancient ditch was unearthed - the "Suburbs of Ancient Chernihiv".

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