The 1,600-year-old mosaic discovered in the Israeli city of Yavne.(Photo: Xinhua)
The 1,600-year-old mosaic discovered in the Israeli city of Yavne.(Photo: Xinhua)
The 1,600-year-old mosaic discovered in the Israeli city of Yavne.(Photo: Xinhua)
Israeli archaeologists have discovered a 1,600-year-old multicolored mosaic pavement dated to the Byzantine period, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said on Monday.
The mosaic was found during excavations prior to the development of a new neighborhood in the central city of Yavne.
"The well-preserved mosaic may have graced a mansion, probably a part of a splendid residential building in a wealthy neighborhood adjacent to an ancient industrial zone," the team said.
The floor exposed was decorated with colorful geometric motifs and has a black rectangular frame.
"At first, we assumed that it was simple white mosaic paving belonging to another industrial installation, but black patches dotted around the mosaic suggested that it was more than one color," the archaeologists said.
"This prompted us to remove the whitish patina that had coated it for years," they added.
After it was cleaned with a special acid, an astonishing colorful mosaic carpet was revealed, ornamented with the geometric motifs.
The mosaic will be displayed in a plaza in Yavne "so that the values embodied in its heritage are preserved and made accessible to the general public," the IAA explained.