Archaeology breakthrough as 'unseen' Bible verse found in ancient mosaic
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A stunning 1,500-year-old monastery has been unearthed - with parts of it's intricate mosaic floor still somehow preserved. Discovered in the city of Kiryat Gat, Israel, some 56 km south of Tel Aviv, the colourful tiles feature a Greek inscription from the Bible, and have been described as "the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Roman and Byzantine periods.".
The Byzantine Empire survived for a thousand years and can be traced way back to A.D. 330, when the Roman emperor Constantine I dedicated a 'New Rome' on the site of the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium. It long served as a military buffer between Europe and Asia, and spawned a rich tradition of art and literature until falling to the Ottoman Empire. During this era, Christianity also spread around the world, and the construction of religious sites rapidly increased, including the the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
"Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out," are the words inscribed into the tiles, which dates back to the fifth-sixth century, and comes from the bible (Deuteronomy 28:6). Researchers also found imported ware, coins, marble elements, metal and glass vessels inside the monastery.
"The mosaic discovered in Kiryat Gat is one of the most unique ever found in Israel," said Mark Avrahami, Head of Artistic Conservation at the Israel Antiquities Authority. "Transferring mosaics is a complex process that requires great skill and precision. Soon, the ancient mosaic will be moved to the Israel Antiquities Authority's mosaic workshop for preservation before being displayed in the city.".
