Ancient sling stones taken two decades ago have been returned to a museum, with a note urging others not to steal antiquities.

A thief has returned two archaeological treasures with a confession note – after apparently experiencing 20 years of bad luck.

The 2,000-year-old sling stones were taken from the ancient city of Gamla on the Golan Heights in July 1995, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said.

They were returned in a bag to the Museum of Islamic and Near Eastern Cultures in Israel’s southern city of Beersheba, along with a note from the thief.

The note, in Hebrew, read: “These are two Roman ballista balls from Gamla, from a residential quarter at the foot of the summit.

“I stole them in July 1995, and since then they have brought me nothing but trouble. Please, do not steal antiquities!”

The thief did not elaborate on the nature of his or her bad luck.

The IAA said almost 2,000 similar stones were found in Gamla.

They were used by Romans against the Jews who were trying to prevent the conquest of the hilltop city

Historians said that this was not the first time stolen treasures had been returned.

One resident, from Tel Aviv, took back an ancient coffin which had taken pride of place in his bedroom – eventually noting its “morbid nature”.

Find the definitions of the following words and expressions.

1.    ten years

2.    a box in which the body of a dead person is put

3.    very old

4.    the highest point of a mountain

5.    a machine which is used to throw stones at the enemy

6.    to add more information to sg

7.    strongly advise

8.    admitting that you have done something wrong

9.    to take control of a foreign land

10.something very valuable

Key:

1.    decade

2.    coffin

3.    ancient

4.    summit

5.    ballista

6.    elaborate on

7.    urge

8.    confession

9.    conquest

10.  treasure

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