Palestinian farmer discovers rare Byzantine-era mosaic while planting olive tree in Gaza

last spring, A Palestinian farmer was planting a new olive tree when his shovel hit something hard. He called his son, and for three months the pair slowly excavated an ornate Byzantine-era mosaic.

Experts say the discovery of the mosaic – which includes 17 well-preserved images of animals and birds – is one of those in Gaza. The greatest archaeological treasure.

The discovery has excited archaeologists, and the region’s Hamas rulers are planning a major announcement in the coming days. But it is also calling for better protection of Gaza’s antiquities, a fragile collection of sites threatened by a lack of awareness and resources.

“These are the most beautiful mosaic floors ever discovered in Gaza, both in terms of the quality of the graphic representation and the complexity of the geometry,” said archaeologist Rene Elter of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem.

“Never before have mosaic floors of this beauty, this accuracy in graphics and the richness of colors discovered in the Gaza Strip,” he said.

Elter says the mosaic floor dates back to between the fifth and seventh centuries. But he said proper excavation must be done to determine exactly when it was built and whether it was part of it. Religious or secular? Complicated

Elter, who has conducted research in Gaza in the past, was not able to visit the site but saw a series of photos and videos taken by local research partners.

Experts are also worried about the constant threat of Conflict with Israel and continued preservation and conservation of ancient mosaics. The mosaic was discovered just one kilometer, or about half a mile, from the Israeli border.

Elter said the discovery is in “immediate danger” because it is so close to the Israeli separation fence.

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Areas with fences are often the scene of intermittent clashes or Israeli incursions. Just last month, three days of intense fighting broke out between Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in Gaza, which included Israeli shelling of militant posts and some errant Palestinian rockets landing in the area.

Elter also fears that excavation by inexperienced people could damage the site. It is hoped that a professional team can excavate, restore and protect the mosaic.

“It is imperative that emergency relief interventions are organized quickly,” Alter said.

Gaza, a narrow enclave on Mediterranean Sea, is a treasure trove of artifacts and archaeological sites as it was a major land route connecting Mesopotamia and the Levant in ancient times. The coastline is dotted with remnants of ancient civilizations from the Bronze Age to the Islamic and Ottoman periods.

However, treasures are rarely safe. In the past they were robbed. In recent years, some have been damaged or destroyed by development projects or fighting with Israel. An Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed after the 2007 takeover of Gaza by the militant group Hamas has devastated the economy, leaving few resources to protect the antiquities.

Hamas itself pays little attention to protecting the sites as it struggles to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population. More than 2.3 million people are crammed into just 300 square kilometers (115 square miles) of this strip. In 2017, Hamas bulldozers destroyed large parts of the site, containing the remains of a 4,500-year-old Bronze Age settlement, to build a housing project for its employees.

Earlier this year, bulldozers excavated for one. Egyptian Funded Housing Project A Roman-era tomb was discovered in northern Gaza.

Among the few protected sites in Gaza is the Monastery of St. Hilarion, which extends from Gaza. Late Roman Empire to the Islamic Umayyad period, and the site of a Byzantine church that was restored by international aid organizations and opened this year in the northern Gaza Strip.

While those sites also contain mosaics, Elter said the latest discovery, in the central Gaza city of Borij, is “extraordinary.”

The Hamas-run archeology department called the mosaic “a major archaeological discovery” but declined to comment further, saying a formal announcement would be made later.

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The owner of the land, who declined to be identified ahead of the official announcement, has covered the excavated part of the mosaic floor with tin sheets. He said he hopes to receive compensation for protecting the unique find on his property.

The plot of land containing the mosaic is about 500 square meters (5,400 sq ft) and three excavated sites reveal glimpses of the mosaic.

The largest hole in the ground, approximately 2 meters by 3 meters (6 feet by 9 feet), contains 17 images of animals. The other two show intricate patterns of tiles. Roots from an old olive tree have damaged parts of the mosaic, which appears to have a total size of about 23 square meters (250 sq ft).

Just last month, another Palestinian farmer found a rare 4,500-year-old stone sculpture while working on his land in the Gaza Strip.

A 22 cm (6.7 in) tall limestone head represents him, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. The Canaanite goddess Anat And it is dated to around 2500 BC.

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“Canaanite mythology was full of love, beauty and war,” Jamal Abu Rida, director of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.