A 1,500-year-old church complete with a sophisticated mosaic was uncovered by archaeologists in southern Israel. 
 
 The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) say the Byzantine-era structure "probably served as a center of Christian worship for neighboring communities." 
 
 The discovery was made during a routine salvage excavation conducted by the IAA prior to the construction of a new neighborhood in the area. 
 
 The building is approximately 72 feet long by 40 feet wide and consists of a central hall with two side aisles divided by marble pillars. An open courtyard at the front of the structure is paved with a white mosaic floor and a cistern. 
 
 Directly off of the courtyard is a rectangular hall with another more intricate mosaic floor with colored geometric designs. 
 
 Including among the finds are five inscriptions, one of which mentions Mary and Jesus. 
 
 "At its center, opposite the entrance to the main hall, is a twelve-row dedicatory inscription in Greek containing the names Mary and Jesus, and the name of the person who funded the mosaic's construction," archaeologist Daniel Varga said in a press release. 
 
 The main hall has a mosaic with depictions of a variety of animals including zebra, leopard, turtle and wild boar. The designs also include Christian symbols. 
 
 Archaeologists also discovered glass vessels, oil lamps, amphorae, cooking pots, kraters, and bowls. These finds "indicate a rich and flourishing local culture" during the Byzantine period. 
 
 In order to preserve the site, it will be covered with dirt and the IAA is making plans to remove the mosaic floors to be put on display. ||||| 
 
 
 
 The Antiquities Authority recently unearthed a 1,500-year-old Byzantine era church complete with intricate mosaic floors in the South. 
 
 
 
 
 
 The discovery was made during salvage excavations ahead of construction of a neighborhood in the village of Aluma, about 3 km. northwest of Kiryat Gat. The church was part of a settlement located next to the main road running from Ashkelon on the coast to Beit Guvrin and Jerusalem.“An impressive basilica building was discovered at the site, 22 meters long and 12 meters wide,” Dr. Daniel Varga, the archeologist directing the excavations, said.“The building consists of a central hall with two side aisles divided by marble pillars. At the front of the building is a wide open courtyard (atrium) paved with a white mosaic floor, and with a cistern. Leading off the courtyard is a rectangular transverse hall (narthex) with a fine mosaic floor decorated with colored geometric designs; at its center, opposite the entrance to the main hall, is a 12-row dedicatory inscription in Greek containing the names Mary and Jesus, and the name of the person who funded the mosaic’s construction,” he said.The main hall, or nave, of the church, has a colored mosaic floor adorned with vine tendrils to form 40 medallions. The medallions contain images of different animals and botanical and geometric designs and inscriptions in Greek commemorating senior church dignitaries: Demetrios and Herakles, who were heads of the regional church, the authority said. On both sides of the central nave are two narrow aisles with more colored mosaic floors depicting botanical and geometric designs, as well as Christian symbols.A pottery workshop was also uncovered during the excavations, yielding amphorae, bowls, oil lamps and glass vessels typical of the Byzantine period. The Antiquities Authority said these finds “indicate a rich and flourishing local culture.”Because no other churches were found in nearby communities from the same period, the authority inferred that the church may have served as a center for Christian worship for the surrounding communities.To preserve the site, the authority has decided to cover it back up with earth. The intricate mosaic, however, will be removed and displayed to the public.The site will be open to the public this week, on Thursday between noon and 4 p.m. and on Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. To register in advance or receive further details email meyrav@israntique.org.il. ||||| A 1,500-year-old church with an impressive mosaic and five inscriptions was uncovered in the south of Israel, the Israel Antiquities Authorities announced Wednesday. 
 
 “An impressive basilica building was discovered at the site, 22 meters long and 12 meters wide,” said Daniel Varga, one of the two archaeologists directing the excavations, which were funded by the Israel Land Authority and located near Kiryat Gat. “The building consists of a central hall with two side aisles divided by marble pillars. At the front of the building is a wide open courtyard (atrium) paved with a white mosaic floor, and with a cistern. Leading off the courtyard is a rectangular transverse hall (narthex) with a fine mosaic floor decorated with colored geometric designs; at its center, opposite the entrance to the main hall, is a twelve-row dedicatory inscription in Greek containing the names Mary and Jesus, and the name of the person who funded the mosaic’s construction.” 
 
 The mosaic in the nave, or main hall, was especially striking, with 40 medallions depicting a zebra, leopard, turtle, wild boar, birds, and various geometrical designs. The medallions also contain dedicatory inscriptions in honor of two local church figures, Demetrios and Herakles. Two narrow halls to side of the nave also featured colored mosaic floors. 
 
 Archaeologists uncovered evidence of a flourishing local Byzantine culture at the site, including a pottery workshop and glass vessels. 
 
 The region, near Israel’s southern coastal plain, was home to an important Byzantine settlement. Archaeologists believe that residents produced and sold wine that found its way across the Mediterranean region. The church itself, which served the surrounding towns, sat on the road between Ashkelon and Jerusalem, where archaeologists have uncovered other Byzantine settlements. 
 
 This, however, is the first Byzantine church found in the area. 
 
 The site, at Moshav Aluma. will be open to the public Thursday and Friday of this week, before it is covered again. 
 
 IAA said it will cover over again the remains of the church itself, but it plans on removing the mosaic and putting it on display in a local museum or visitors’ center.
– Excavators preparing a plot of earth in southern Israel for new construction instead unearthed an impressive 1,500-year-old church, reports Fox News. The structure, about 70 feet long and 40 feet wide, dates to the Byzantine era and still has mosaics with intricate geometric designs in place on its floors, reports the Jerusalem Post. Archeologists also found a pottery workshop, suggesting that the church served as a major community hub in its day. They've turned up Byzantine settlements in the region of Moshav Aluma previously, but this is the first church, reports the Times of Israel. "At its center, opposite the entrance to the main hall, is a twelve-row dedicatory inscription in Greek containing the names Mary and Jesus, and the name of the person who funded the mosaic’s construction," says the Israel Antiquities Authority. The church will get covered up again, but authorities plan to remove the main mosaic for future display.