Israeli Archaeologists Find 1,600-Year-Old Mosaic From The Byzantine Period

Israel's ancient mosaics. (Source: srael Antiquities Authority / Assaf Peretz)

JAKARTA - A well-preserved 1,600-year-old mosaic has been found by archaeologists working in the Israeli city of Yavne.

The mosaics, which date back to the Byzantine period (AD 300-400), were discovered when archaeologists excavated an extensive industrial zone that operated for several centuries, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said.

"The sidewalk is probably part of a beautiful residential building in a wealthy neighborhood adjacent to an industrial zone", the statement said.

The IAA describes the colorful, covered sidewalks with geometric motifs arranged in a black rectangular frame.

"This is the first time they have found a colored mosaic floor in Yavne", said IAA archaeologist Elie Haddad, adding that several coins were found in the enclosed space below.

Israeli archaeologists initially thought the mosaics were white thanks to the patina, a gloss or sheen that appears on the surface with age, which has coated them over the years. They then cleaned it using a special acid.

"To our amazement, the colorful mosaic carpet was revealed, decorated with geometric motifs", reads an IAA statement.

Israel's ancient mosaics. (Source: Israel Antiquities Authority / Assaf Peretz)

Haddad told CNN it was unusual to find such mosaics in industrial areas. And that may be a clue, further excavation will uncover the remains of a residential building.

The mosaic was documented in the field and later cared for and preserved by conservationists at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem, Israel. It will soon be on display in a plaza in Yavne, the statement added.

"The mosaic was found as part of a large excavation project that will take several years to complete", Haddad said.

Haddad added that the team had recovered the remains of an ancient wine pressing machine and a wine cellar, and it was hoped that further excavations could produce more artifacts to populate Yavne's first archaeological museum.

"Preservation of archeology and awareness of the past are important values in the life of Yavne City which has an extraordinary history", said Mayor of Yavne Zvi Guru-Ari.

"In an era of progress and accelerated development in all areas of life, future generations must also be able to see how cities have developed throughout history", he continued.

For your information, last March, dozens of Dead Sea Scrolls fragments containing Bible texts were found by archaeologists working in the Judean Desert,

The fragments are the first pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls to be found around 60 years and were recovered from a cave where Jewish rebels against the Roman Empire were hiding around 1,900 years ago.