A farmer made a discovery that is considered an archaeological treasure. While planting olive trees, he found many tile mosaics from the Byzantine era in Gaza strip.
The farmer hit something hard with a shovel as he digs the hole to plant. After summoning the son, the two of them excavated and found the archaeological treasure. a agitation, the group that rules the Gaza Strip, has not yet made any official announcement. Despite the excitement of the discovery, there are great concerns about what will happen to the place.
The area is just over one kilometer from the border with Israel. Because of the conflict with the Palestinians, there are fears that the fighting could lead to the destruction of the archaeological find, which would not be unprecedented in the region. According to Portuguese news channel RTP, the mosaic contains 17 iconic images of beasts and birds, which are well preserved and feature vivid colors.
“This is the most beautiful mosaic ever discovered in the Gaza Strip, both in terms of the quality of the drawings and the complexity of the geometry,” explained René Elter, a French archaeologist at the French School of Bible and Archeology in Jerusalem. “No mosaic of this quality, figurative precision, and richness of color has been found in Gaza.”
Elter explained to the Associated Press that the mosaics were built between the 5th and 7th centuries. However, the archaeologist said more excavations and more research are needed to more accurately determine the date and whether the works were part of a religious or secular complex.
The Gaza Strip is a small Palestinian enclave between Israel and Egypt. It is a place of great archaeological value with discoveries of ancient civilizations, ranging from the Bronze Age to the Islamic and Ottoman periods.
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