Jan. 6 (UPI) — At least 10 buildings and multiple artifacts from the 5th or 6th century have been uncovered in southern Israel in what authorities say is an ancient Byzantine monastery thousands of years old, according to multiple reports.
On Monday, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed that troves of priceless artifacts — including a colorful mosaic floor with a Greek inscription — recently were discovered in a construction area and signify “the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Roman and Byzantine periods,” i24 News in Israel reported.
In or around the 10 unearthed structures were a winepress and what appeared to be a bustling ceramic industry in what likely was a wealthy settlement. And along with that were a plethora of other findings such as pottery fragments, imported dishes, glass jugs and coins.
“The early settlement is sited on a central road junction connecting the mountain region to the coastal plain,” stated excavators Shira Lifshitz and Maayan Margulis.
According to Israeli news site Haaretz, however, the size of the settlement remains to be determined.
The historic finding dates back to the 5th or 6th century and arrived as a new neighborhood is being constructed north of the city of Kiryat Gat.
Inscribed on the colorful mosaic floor are words found in Deuteronomy 28:6 and written in Greek: “Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out.”
Mark Avrahami, head of the authority’s artistic conservation, said, “The mosaic discovered in Kiryat Gat is one of the most unique ever found in Israel.”
He said transferring it will be a “complex process that requires great skill and precision.”
It will be relocated to an open area in the city and made accessible to the public, according to an Israeli Antiquities Authority official.
“Soon, the ancient mosaic will be moved to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s mosaic workshop for preservation before being displayed in the city,” Avrahami says.