A 900-year-old collection of women’s jewelry has been discovered in the kitchen of a Crusader fortress tower in the central Israeli city of Modi’in, during an archaeological excavation at Tittora Hill.

Several of the ancient rings, bracelets and earrings that were found were made of bronze and silver.

According to Avraham Tendler, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) excavation director, the jewelry “appear[s] to have been accidentally dropped during cooking in the kitchen of an ancient tower.”

The archaeological dig is part of a joint initiative between the IAA and the Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut Municipality. The project brings together some 2,500 schoolchildren, long-time residents of the town and local volunteers for the opportunity to collaborate in discovering their city’s cultural heritage.

“In view of its tremendous success, the project will continue next year,” said Modi’in Mayor Haim Bibas.

The dig uncovered other finds including coins and cosmetic tools, as well as the foundations of a large building from the Roman period under the Crusader fortress.

Previous excavations at Tittora Hill have turned up archaeological evidence of its occupation from the Chalcolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, to the modern era.