Byzantine News

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