Byzantine News

Last February, archaeologists unearthed a unique rock-carved underground church in Nevsehir, in the central Turkish region of Cappadocia. The church was decorated with never before seen frescoes depicting Jesus’ Ascension, the Final Judgement, Jesus feeding the multitudes, and portraits of saints and prophets.The discovery, made during excavations and cleaning operations in an underground city recently uncovered as part of an urban project in Nevsehir, is located within a castle that might date back to the fifth century. Authorities expect it will make Cappadocia an even more important pilgrimage center for Orthodox Christians. Semih İstanbulluoğlu, the archaeologist who heads the works for both the underground city and the church, explained that the walls of the church collapsed because of snow and rain, but that they will be fixed as part of the restoration project. Frescoed sections will have to be collected one by one and pieced together. See more DON'T FORGET T...

Another historical church has been unearthed in the Cappadocia region of Central Anatolia and experts are excited about its frescoes, which depict scenes hitherto unseen. Archeologist: "It is reported that some of the frescoes here are unique. There are exciting depictions like fish falling from the hand of Jesus Christ, him rising up into the sky, and the bad souls being killed. When the church is completely revealed, Cappadocia could become an even bigger pilgrimage center of Orthodoxy" Click here for more .

From: http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.co.uk A late-Roman era sarcophagus thought to be belonging to the Late Roman Empire was unearthed and transferred to a museum in Iznik, Bursa. The sarcophagus weighing nearly 7 tons.

From Archaeology Magazine, a new archaeological finding: The mosaic floor of a Byzantine-era church that had been removed for conservation purposes has been returned to Qiryat Gat Industrial Park, where it will be on display. The 1,500-year-old mosaic realistically depicts a Nile River landscape and the streets and buildings of a settlement in Egypt where, according to Christian tradition, the prophet Habakkuk had been buried. “The appearance of buildings on mosaic floors is a rare phenomenon in Israel. The buildings are arranged along a main colonnaded street of a city, in a sort of ancient map,” archaeologists Sa’ar Ganor and Rina Avner of the Israel Antiquities Authority said. Read more

Follow the adventure of a team of archeologists examining a perfectly preserved Byzantine ship. A short documentary from National Geographic.

Israel's Antiquities Authority announced a recent discovery of a compound near Beit Shemeish dating from the Byzantine era. The complex consists of olive presses, mosaics, and wine presses. Irene Zilberbod and Tehila Libman, excavation directors for the Antiquities Authority said: It is true we did not find a church at the site or an inscription or any other unequivocal evidence of religious worship. Nevertheless, the impressive construction, the dating to the Byzantine period, the magnificent mosaic floors, window and roof tile artifacts, as well as the agricultural-industrial installations inside the dwelling compound are all known to us from numerous other contemporary monasteries. Click here for the full report 

American archaeologists have recently found what they believe to be the first non-biblical scene in a synagogue mosaic. The report mentions three mosaics with very different iconographic models found in the 5th c. synagogue at Huqoq, in Israel’s Lower Galilee. In particular, what struck the researchers was the image of an elephant, an animal which can be rarely found in the Hebrew Bible but it was generally associated with Alexander the Great. Click here to read the full report

A national archeological expedition working in Tel Ara in Sweida governorate uncovered an ancient burial chamber dating back to the Byzantine and Ayyubid eras in a cavern. Hussein Zeineddin, head of the expedition, said that the volcanic cave is located north of al-Hesha volcanic hill, east of Ara mountain, and that it has an arch-like entrance with a roof consisting of handmade arches. He said that excavations uncovered four semicircular tombs, the first located in the eastern part of the cave and consisting of an oval alcove serving as a grave for an individual or a family, while the second is located in the center of the cavern and is raised from the floor, containing small bone fragments that could have belonged to a young person. Read more.