AVDAT NATIONAL PARK, ISRAEL—The Times of Israel reports that a 1,500-year-old stable has been found in a rock-hewn cave in the Negev Desert by a team of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority and DePaul University. The structure is thought to have been used by monks, who built stone walls in the cave and crafted stone basins to hold food and water for the animals. Crosses had been painted on the walls. A three-foot-deep layer of manure in the structure revealed that the stable was home to donkeys, sheep, and goats. The team also collected plant remains, including grape seeds, for analysis. The stable is thought to have been destroyed in the seventh century by an earthquake. To read about a recent discovery of Roman-era figurines off the coast of Israel, go to "Sun and Moon."
