Cave explorers in northern Israel have found a small trove of coins and jewelry dating from the time of Alexander the Great. Archaeologists believe that the 2,300-year-old treasure was hidden by refugees during some ancient conflict.

Eitan Klein of the Israel Antiquities Authority said the one-of-a-kind find was an unprecedented novelty. “The valuables might have been hidden in the cave by local residents who fled there during the period of unrest stemming from the death of Alexander,” the Antiquities Authority said in a statement.

The cave where the find was uncovered was a small crevice of a stalactite cave in Israel’s Galilee region. After the first coins were found by cave explorers, antiquities authorities visited the site and found even more artifacts. Some of the objects were 6,000 years old.

An noteworthy find was reported last month by scuba divers who found 2,000 gold coins from the 11th century that archaeologists hope will shed light on Muslim rule during the time.