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Farmer finds rare ancient treasure in Gaza while planting an olive tree — but discovery may be in "immediate danger"
CBS ^ | September 16, 2022 | unattributed

Posted on 09/18/2022 11:00:43 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Last spring, a Palestinian farmer was planting a new olive tree when his shovel hit a hard object. He called his son, and for three months, the pair slowly excavated an ornate Byzantine-era mosaic that experts say is one of the greatest archaeological treasures ever found in Gaza...

The floor, boasting 17 iconographies of beasts and birds, is well-preserved and its colors are bright.

"These are the most beautiful mosaic floors discovered in Gaza, both in terms of the quality of the graphic representation and the complexity of the geometry," said René Elter, an archaeologist from the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem.

"Never have mosaic floors of this finesse, this precision in the graphics and richness of the colors been discovered in the Gaza Strip," he said.

Elter says the mosaic pavement dates back to a time between the 5th and the 7th centuries...

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

Hamas itself pays little attention to preserving the sites as it struggles to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population. In 2017, Hamas bulldozers destroyed large parts of a site containing remains from a 4,500-year-old Bronze Age settlement to make housing projects for its employees.

Early this year, bulldozers digging for an Egyptian-funded housing project in northern Gaza unearthed a Roman-era tomb.

Among the few preserved sites in Gaza are the St. Hilarion monastery, which spans from the 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...

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: byzantineempire; gaza; godsgravesglyphs; hamas; israel; mosaic; mosaics; reneelter; romanempire
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To: SunkenCiv

Chukar hunters?


21 posted on 09/18/2022 11:59:13 AM PDT by shotgun
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To: Greg123456
Dodo birds?

Egyptian geese:


22 posted on 09/18/2022 12:20:49 PM PDT by fidelis (👈 Under no obligation to respond to rude, ignorant, abusive, bellicose, and obnoxious posts.)
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To: nwrep

Mosaic, that means it was done by Moses, right?


23 posted on 09/18/2022 12:22:25 PM PDT by Petrosius
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To: HandyDandy

Same guy.


24 posted on 09/18/2022 12:34:40 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Beautiful. It would be a real shame if it was destroyed.


25 posted on 09/18/2022 12:44:45 PM PDT by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
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To: Sacajaweau

As is my eldest. I’m referring to my granddaughter. LOL


26 posted on 09/18/2022 12:53:39 PM PDT by Howie66 (Let's Go Brandon!!)
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To: Bookshelf

The rugs in question depict intricate colorful geometric pattersn and not living creatures


27 posted on 09/18/2022 1:35:38 PM PDT by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Juneteenth is inequality day)
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The paleo simians will destroy it. They are like democrats on crack


28 posted on 09/18/2022 1:39:00 PM PDT by dsrtsage ( Complexity is just simple lacking imagination)
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To: Howie66

Apricot brandy on a refrigerated pacifier

And one for the baby too. :)


29 posted on 09/18/2022 1:42:37 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: madison10

That’s weird. This answered the wrong post.


30 posted on 09/18/2022 1:45:49 PM PDT by madison10 (There is no King, but Jesus.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Thanks! (I think!) LOL


31 posted on 09/18/2022 3:12:32 PM PDT by Howie66 (Let's Go Brandon!!)
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To: teeman8r

Caananites


32 posted on 09/18/2022 3:48:17 PM PDT by frithguild (The warmth and goodness of Gaia is a nuclear reactor in the Earth's core that burns Thorium)
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To: bert

Wrong! Check the Qom hunting carpets, the Afghan camel representations, the various Iranian tree of life with birds. I am looking at a more modern Herez right now that has tree, bush, and animal representation.


33 posted on 09/18/2022 4:59:53 PM PDT by Bookshelf
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To: nwrep

Which is a wierd way of saying Christian.


34 posted on 09/19/2022 2:02:07 AM PDT by joma89 (Buy weapons and ammo, folks, and have the will to use them.)
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To: dsrtsage
The paleo simians will destroy it. They are like democrats on crack

Yep...


35 posted on 09/19/2022 3:46:49 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (Gun laws empower criminals. Guns empower the people.)
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To: joma89

Not for those keenly aware of historical eras and their implications.


36 posted on 09/19/2022 7:32:22 AM PDT by nwrep
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