Archaeologists unearth 1,500-year-old mosaic with Bible verse that 'blesses all who read it'
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Archaeologists have discovered a 1,500-year-old monastery with an intricate mosaic floor that bears a Bible verse blessing all who read it. 'Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out,' reads the verse inscribed in ancient Greek that sits at the center of the intricately designed floor.
![[The 'blessing' was one a floor for an ancient building]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/12/93955367-14268171-image-a-1_1736511281184.jpg)
The discovery was made near the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced Monday, who described it as one of the largest and most significant sites uncovered in the area from the time period. The monastery dates back to the fifth through sixth centuries CE, which was during the rule of the Byzantine empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire.
![[Researchers said the mosaic is one of the most unique of its kind found in the region]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/14/93955371-14268171-Researchers_said_the_mosaic_is_one_of_the_most_unique_of_its_kin-a-6_1736519236855.jpg)
Those years saw the spread of Christianity and the construction of significant religious sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The newly discovered monastery is located in an ancient settlement established during the preceding Roman period, but persisted for approximately 600 years until the end of the Byzantine period.
![[What makes this mosaic so unusual is the incorporation of very small stones into its geometric pattern, which served to highlight the cross-shaped decorations, according to the researchers]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/14/93928855-14268171-What_makes_this_mosaic_so_unusual_is_the_incorporation_of_very_s-a-8_1736519236858.jpg)
'This is the largest and most significant Roman and Byzantine period site uncovered in this area,' said excavation leaders Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis. The dig also uncovered remains of at least ten buildings, a winepress and a large warehouse building.
![[The settlement is situated on a central road junction connecting the mountain region to the coastal plain, and apparently served the area's smaller settlements and travelers passing by]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/20/93928865-14268171-image-a-2_1736455614433.jpg)
