The 6,000-Year-Old Crown Found in a Dead Sea Cave

The oldest known crown in the world, strangely decorated with vultures and doorways, was found among objects like nothing ever seen anywhere else.

Left: The oldest crown in the world, found in the Nahal Mishmar Hoard. (Hanay/Wikimedia Commons) Background: The Dead Sea Xta11/Wikimedia Commons

The oldest known crown in the world, which was famously discovered in 1961 as part of the Nahal Mishmar Hoard, along with numerous other treasured artifacts, dates back to the Copper Age between 4000–3500 B.C.

It was revealed in New York University’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World as part of the “Masters of Fire: Copper Age Art from Israel“ exhibit earlier this year.