Judean Ivory Side-Blown Trumpet

This very rare and beautiful trumpet was possibly used by soldiers of Shimon Bar-Kochba, or the leader himself during the second Jewish revolt (132-135 A.D.). The rebellion seriously challenged the mighty Roman Empire during the reign of Hadrian (117-138), who was required to summon his finest legions to deal with the insurrection. Adopting guerilla tactics against the highly disciplined Roman soldiers, Bar-Kokhba utilized caves as storerooms for arms and perhaps equipment such as this horn, which was used as a call of warning, to muster troops or sound the retreat. It was in fact at the siege of Bethar (modern-day Bittar) where the war finally ended and Bar-Kochba lost his life. This magnificent trumpet embodies the bravery and fortitude of a courageous people who risked their lives for the sake of freedom.