A 1,500-Year-Old Byzantine-Era Church And Magnificent Colorful Mosaic Unearthed In Southern Israel 26 January, 2014

Monday, January 27, 2014

A 1,500-Year-Old Byzantine-Era Church And Magnificent Colorful Mosaic Unearthed In Southern Israel 26 January, 2014

A 1,500-Year-Old Byzantine-Era Church And
Magnificent Colorful Mosaic Unearthed In Southern Israel

26 January, 2014

MessageToEagle.com - About 1,500 years old basilica with a magnificent mosaic and five inscriptions have been uncovered during Israel Antiquities Authority salvage excavations, prior to the construction project in Aluma, a village approximately 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of Tel Aviv, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) reports.

"The church probably served as a center of Christian worship for neighboring communities," according to IAA's archaeologists Dr. Daniel Varga and Dr. Davida Dagan who led excavations.

A pottery workshop was also found that yielded amphorae, cooking pots, kratersm bowls and different kinds of oil lamps.

Click on image to enlarge

The church is 1,500 years old with a ‘magnificent’ mosaic and five inscriptions, and is the first church found in the area which served as a large Byzantine settlement in the region located near the coast. Since it is on the floor it is not considered a cross in the strict Christian religious sense as people were not supposed to walk upon it. The mosaic will be removed and eventually displayed to the public in a regional museum. Credit: EPA

One of the inscriptions written in Greek contains the names Mary and Jesus and name of the person who funded the mosaic's construction, according to Dr. Varga.

Click on image to enlarge

A close-up of part of a large mosaic floor in a Byzantine era church Israeli archaeologists have uncovered in the past two months in Moshav Aluma, Israel, 22 January 2014. The Israeli Antiquities Authority reports the church is 1,500 years old with a ‘magnificent’ mosaic and five inscriptions, and is the first church found in the area which served as a large Byzantine settlement in the region located near the coast. The mosaic will be removed and eventually displayed to the public in a regional museum. Credit: EPA: EPA

"An impressive basilica building was discovered at the site, 22 meters long and 12 meters wide. 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," he said.

"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 main hall (the nave) has a colored mosaic floor adorned with vine tendrils to form forty medallions.

The medallions contain depictions of different animals, including: zebra, leopard, turtle, wild boar, various winged birds and botanical and geometric designs.

Click on image to enlarge

A large ‘Christogram’ or Christian symbol but not called a cross is a major element in a Byzantine church uncovered in excavation in the past two months in Moshav Aluma, Israel, and presented by the Israeli Antiquities Authority on 22 January 2014. The church is 1,500 years old with a ‘magnificent’ mosaic and five inscriptions, and is the first church found in the area which served as a large Byzantine settlement in the region located near the coast. The Christogram has Greek letters and birds which carry the cross symbol upwards. Since it is on the floor it is not considered a cross in the strict Christian religious sense as people were not supposed to walk upon it. The mosaic will be removed and eventually displayed to the public in a regional museum. Credit: EPA

Three medallions contain dedicatory inscriptions in Greek commemorating senior church dignitaries: Demetrios and Herakles.

On both sides of the central nave are two narrow halls with colored mosaic floors depicting botanical and geometric designs, as well as Christian symbols.

Glass vessels typical of the Byzantine period were also discovered at the site. The finds indicate a rich and flourishing local culture. This church is part of a large and important Byzantine settlement that existed in the region.

The recently uncovered church may have served as a center for Christian worship for all the surrounding communities.

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How to Digitally Record/Video a UFO sighting:

Como registar digitalmente ou gravar um vídeo de um avistamento de um UFO:

Stabilize the camera on a tripod. If there is no tripod, then set it on top of a stable, flat surface. If that is not possible lean against a wall to stabilize your body and prevent the camera from filming in a shaky, unsteady manner.

Estabilize a camera com um tripé. Se não tiver um tripé, então coloque-a em cima de uma superfície estável. Se não for possível, então encoste-se a uma parede para estabilizar o corpo e evitar que a camera registe de maneira tremida e instável.

Provide visual reference points for comparison. This includes the horizon, treetops, lampposts, houses, and geographical landmarks (i.e., Horsetooth Reservoir, Mt. Adams, etc.) Provide this in the video whenever is appropriate and doesn’t detract from what your focus is, the UFO.

Forneça pontos visuais de referência para comparação. Isso inclui o horizonte, cimo das árvores, postes de iluminação, pontos de referência geográficos (como o Reservatório de Horsetooth, Mone Adams, etc) Forneça esses pontos no vídeo sempre que for apropriado e não se distraia do que é o seu foco, o UFO/a Nave.

Narrate your videotape. Provide details of the date, time, location, and direction (N,S,E,W) you are looking in. Provide your observations on the weather, including approximate temperature, windspeed, any visible cloud cover or noticeable weather anomalies or events. Narrate on the shape, size, color, movements, approximate altitude of the UFO, etc and what it appears to be doing. Also include any unusual physical, psychological or emotional sensations you might have. Narrate any visual reference points on camera so they correlate with what the viewer will see, and thereby will be better able to understand.

Faça a narração do vídeo. Forneça pormenores sobre a data, hora, local e direcção (Norte, Sul, Este, Oeste) que está a observar. Faça observações sobre as condições atmosféricas, incluindo a temperatura aproximada, velocidade do vento, quantidade de nuvens, anomalias ou acontecimentos meteorológicos evidentes. Descreva a forma, o tamanho, a cor, os movimentos, a altitude aproximada onde se encontra o UFO/nave, etc e o que aparenta estar a fazer. Inclua também quaisquer aspectos pouco habituais de sensações físicas, psicológicas ou emocionais que possa ter. Faça a narração de todos os pontos de referência visual que o espectador irá ver e que, deste modo, será capaz de compreender melhor.

Be persistent and consistent. Return to the scene to videotape and record at this same location. If you have been successful once, the UFO sightings may be occurring in this region regularly, perhaps for specific reasons unknown, and you may be successful again. You may also wish to return to the same location at a different time of day (daylight hours) for better orientation and reference. Film just a minute or two under “normal” circumstances for comparison. Write down what you remember immediately after. As soon as you are done recording the experience/event, immediately write down your impressions, memories, thoughts, emotions, etc. so it is on the record in writing. If there were other witnesses, have them independently record their own impressions, thoughts, etc. Include in this exercise any drawings, sketches, or diagrams. Make sure you date and sign your documentation.

Seja persistente e não contraditório. Volte ao local da cena e registe o mesmo local. Se foi bem sucedido uma vez, pode ser que nessa região ocorram avistamentos de UFOs/naves com regularidade, talvez por razões específicas desconhecidas, e talvez possa ser novamente bem sucedido. Pode também desejar voltar ao mesmo lugar a horas diferentes do dia (durante as horas de luz)para ter uma orientação e referência melhor. Filme apenas um ,inuto ou dois em circunstâncias “normais” para ter um termo de comparação. Escreva tudo o que viu imediatamente após o acontecimento. Logo após ter feito o registo da experiência/acontecimento, escreva imediatamente as impressões, memórias, pensamentos, emoções, etc para que fiquem registadas por escrito. Se houver outras testemunhas, peça-lhes para registar independentemente as suas próprias impressões, pensamentos, etc. Inclua quaisquer desenhos, esbolos, diagramas. Certifique-se que data e assina o seu documento/testemunho.

Always be prepared. Have a digital camera or better yet a video camera with you, charged and ready to go, at all times. Make sure you know how to use your camera (and your cell phone video/photo camera) quickly and properly. These events can occur suddenly, unexpectedly, and often quite randomly, so you will need to be prepared.

Esteja sempre preparado, Tenha sempre uma camera digital, melhor ainda, uma camera vídeo consigo, carregada e pronta a usar sempre que necessário. Certifique-se que sabe como lidar com a sua camera (ou com o seu celular/camera fotográfica) rápida e adequadamente. Esses acontecimentos podem acontecer súbita e inesperadamente e, por vezes, acidentalmente, por isso, necessita estar preparado.

Look up. Be prepared. Report. Share.

Olhe para cima, Esteja preparado, Relate, Partilhe.

MUFON.COM