The oldest seed germinated is a 2,000-year-old date seed originally discovered at Masada in the 1960s and planted by Dr Sarah Sallon (Israel) of The Louis Borick Natural Medicine Research Centre in the Hagasa Medical Organization, Jerusalem, and Dr Elaine Soloway of Kibbutz Ketura, Israel, in 2005. The seed was one of several discovered during the 1963-65 excavations of Masada. Five seeds were obtained by Dr Sallon and her team, one of which succeeded in germinating. Two of the five seeds were reserved for radiocarbon dating as controls. The other thee were planted, and after eight weeks one germinated. Radiocarbon dating was repeated on a fragment of the seed that germinated, and that agreed with the control seed. Coincides with the siege of Masada by the Romans. Symbol of the date of the three religions;extinct species famous for medicinal uses. Plant named "Methusela", after the Bible's oldest man.
