Latest news with #MerhavimRegionalCouncil
New York Post
3 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Rare 1,600-year-old mosaic from Christian monastery unveiled after centuries of obscurity
A 1,600-year-old Byzantine-era mosaic from a Christian monastery was recently put on public display for the first time, giving a glimpse into life during ancient times. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement about the unveiling of the Be'er Shema mosaic earlier this week. The mosaic was officially opened to the public at the Merhavim Regional Council complex in the Southern District of Israel on Sunday. The ministry described the art piece as 'one of the most impressive mosaics discovered in the south of the country.' 'The approximately 1,600-year-old colorful mosaic presents 55 medallions decorated with hunting scenes, animals, and scenes of everyday life,' the statement also noted. The mosaic has 55 medallions, with each telling its own story. Archaeologist Shaike Lender said the scenes depict 'mythological characters, baskets of fruit, exotic animals, scenes from everyday life, hunting scenes and more.' 'The mosaic was clearly made by the hand of a true artist,' Lender added. 4 A 1,600-year-old Byzantine-era mosaic from a Christian monastery was recently put on public display for the first time, giving a glimpse into life during ancient times. Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authorit 'It is comprised of small mosaic stones in a variety of colors, combined with glass and pottery to infuse it with variety.' The Be'er Shema mosaic was found in 1990 during an excavation in Kibbutz Urim. Archaeologists don't know its exact age, but they dated it to the Byzantine period of Israeli history, which lasted from 324 A.D. to 638 A.D. 4 'The approximately 1,600-year-old colorful mosaic presents 55 medallions decorated with hunting scenes, animals, and scenes of everyday life,' the statement also noted. Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authorit The mosaic was a feature within a monastery that also doubled as a winery to 'earn its sustenance,' according to Israeli officials. 'The excavation of the complex uncovered a large winepress and warehouses with storage jugs, which were produced on site,' the statement said. The monastery was built near an ancient spice trail road that connected the historic city of Elusa with the port of Gaza. 4 Archaeologist Shaike Lender said the scenes depict 'mythological characters, baskets of fruit, exotic animals, scenes from everyday life, hunting scenes and more.' Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authorit 'It seems that the ancient road upon which this settlement was sited served as a kind of border between the desert and the inhabited part of the country – during the Byzantine period, and perhaps serving as such even earlier, during the Roman period,' officials said. Archaeologists also discovered the monastery was part of a large settlement, comprised of several hundred dunams. A dunam, a historic unit of measurement still used in Israel today, is 1,000 square meters. '[The settlement] served travelers needing a safe place to spend the night, offering protection from potential attacks by raiders from the local Bedouin tribes,' the statement noted. 4 The mosaic was a feature within a monastery that also doubled as a winery to 'earn its sustenance,' according to Israeli officials. Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authorit The mosaic was extensively preserved by archaeologists over the past few months. They treated the mosaic for damage and re-strengthened the tiles. Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) director Eli Escusido applauded the mosaic's opening, saying its site 'will serve the public as an open archaeological garden.' 'I now invite the public to enjoy and to form their own impressions of one of the most beautiful mosaics ever seen here in Israel's South, here in the northwestern Negev,' he said.
Fox News
3 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Rare 1,600-year-old mosaic from Christian monastery unveiled after centuries of obscurity
A 1,600-year-old Byzantine-era mosaic from a Christian monastery was recently put on public display for the first time, giving a glimpse into life during ancient times. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement about the unveiling of the Be'er Shema mosaic earlier this week. The mosaic was officially opened to the public at the Merhavim Regional Council complex in the Southern District of Israel on Sunday. The ministry described the art piece as "one of the most impressive mosaics discovered in the south of the country." "The approximately 1,600-year-old colorful mosaic presents 55 medallions decorated with hunting scenes, animals and scenes of everyday life," the statement also noted. The mosaic has 55 medallions, with each telling its own story. Archaeologist Shaike Lender said the scenes depict "mythological characters, baskets of fruit, exotic animals, scenes from everyday life, hunting scenes and more." "The mosaic was clearly made by the hand of a true artist," Lender added. "It is comprised of small mosaic stones in a variety of colors, combined with glass and pottery to infuse it with variety." The Be'er Shema mosaic was found in 1990 during an excavation in Kibbutz Urim. Archaeologists don't know its exact age, but they dated it to the Byzantine period of Israeli history, which lasted from 324 A.D. to 638 A.D. The mosaic was a feature within a monastery that also doubled as a winery to "earn its sustenance," according to Israeli officials. "The excavation of the complex uncovered a large winepress and warehouses with storage jugs, which were produced on site," the statement said. The monastery was built near an ancient spice trail road that connected the historic city of Elusa with the port of Gaza. "It seems that the ancient road upon which this settlement was sited served as a kind of border between the desert and the inhabited part of the country – during the Byzantine period, and perhaps serving as such even earlier, during the Roman period," officials said. Archaeologists also discovered the monastery was part of a large settlement, comprised of several hundred dunams. A dunam, a historic unit of measurement still used in Israel today, is 1,000 square meters each. The mosaic was extensively preserved by archaeologists. "[The settlement] served travelers needing a safe place to spend the night, offering protection from potential attacks by raiders from the local Bedouin tribes," the statement noted. The mosaic was extensively preserved by archaeologists over the past few months. They treated the mosaic for damage and re-strengthened the tiles. Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) director Eli Escusido applauded the mosaic's opening, saying its site "will serve the public as an open archaeological garden." "I now invite the public to enjoy and to form their own impressions of one of the most beautiful mosaics ever seen here in Israel's South, here in the northwestern Negev," he said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
A 1,600-Year-Old Byzantine Mosaic Was Just Unveiled at a Monastery in Israel
The Be'er Shema Mosaic is now open to the public for the first time at the Merhavim Regional Council complex in northwestern Negev, Israel, reported the Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The 1,600-year-old mosaic intricately details scenes of hunting, exotic animals, mythological figures, fruit, and daily life within 55 medallions. Archaeologists have theorized that it was created by a master craftsman due to the small size of the stones, the variety of color, and incorporation of glass and pottery. More from Robb Report Marvel Star Chris Evans Is Asking $7 Million for His Hollywood Hills Home BMW's High-Performance M5 Station Wagon Is More Popular Than Its Sedan in the U.S. A Stately French Normandy Tudor Home in Westchester County Lists for $6.5 Million Though the mosaic dates back to the Byzantine period (324–638 CE), it was unearthed during a 1990 excavation of agricultural areas nearby Kibbutz Urim, situated in the Roman and Byzantine administrative center and fortified village Horbat Be'er Shema. The town was known for its location along an ancient trade route connecting the desert region to Gaza, which was a Mediterranean port city at the time. The mosaic was discovered within a monastery. A large wine press and warehouses filled with jars were also found, indicating that the monastic order may have made a living producing and selling wine. Further excavations were completed under Dan Gazit and Shayka Lander from the Israel Antiquities Authority, before the piece was covered for preservation. 'Over the years, the mosaic floor's state of preservation has deteriorated. Against this background, it was rediscovered, treated and strengthened, and moved from its original location to the council compound in Merhavim,' Ami Shahar, head of the Conservation Department at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said in a statement. 'Now, it is protected from agricultural and development work, and is finally being displayed to the public.' On Saturday, the inaugural ceremony featured local students, as well as the Minister of Heritage MK Amichai Eliyahu and the head of the Merhavim Regional Council Shai Hajj. It has been made accessible as part of the 'Antiquities Near Home' project, co-organized by the Ministry of Heritage and the Israel Antiquities Authority. Best of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
