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.
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.
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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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