Cops in Israel have found and seized a haul of valuable archaeological pieces from a home in East Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem District detectives found the goods while conducting a search of the residence of an unnamed male in his 30s on Sunday, 5th December.

Among the artefacts confiscated from the residence were a Hasmonean coin, a contemporaneous oil candle, and a biblical-era signet ring with ancient Hebrew inscriptions.

The seized pieces were handed to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) for examination and the home owner was arrested and remanded for questioning.

The Hasmonean coin is said to date to the first century BC and boasts an embossment of the Temple menorah.

The Hasmonean dynasty ruled in Judea, which corresponds to modern-day southern Israel, and surrounding areas from 140 BC to 37 BC.

The seized coin reportedly dates to the time of Antigonus II Mattathias, the last Hasmonean king, who ascended to power in 40 BC.

The discovery of the haul came before the last night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, which celebrates the victory of the Hasmoneans over the Seleucid Empire.

The suspect is currently being investigated by the police in collaboration with the IAA and could face a maximum of five years in jail if convicted of stealing ancient artefacts.

East Jerusalem includes Jerusalem’s Old City and some of the holiest sites of the three largest Abrahamic religions.

Considered to be occupied by Israel by the international community, it has a majority-Arab population.