Archaeologists unearth mosaic floor of 5th-century church

Since ancient times, the dazzling colours and distinctive aesthetic of mosaic artwork have mesmerised many. The first evidence of mosaic art was found in a Mesopotamian temple dating back to the 3rd millennium BC and now archaeologists discovered another amazing mosaic floor near Sea of Galilee.

Around 700CE the ancient holy land church near Sea of Galilee, in Israel was destroyed in a fire. But the beautiful mosaic floor of the church that included depictions of baskets, loaves and fish as well as inscriptions were discovered recently by a group of archaeologists.

It should be mentioned that as per the Gospel of John, the fourth of the canonical gospels, at the Sea of Galilee Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish and this event is also called as "Feeding the multitude."

In 2005 the archaeologists from University of Haifa first found a part of the 5th-century church, which was located in the ancient city of Hippos in Northern Israel. During the excavation process this summer, the team of researchers found that the floor of the destroyed church was covered and protected by the ash and remains of its collapsed roof.

Michael Eisenberg, the head of the excavation team in Hippos on behalf of Haifa University's Institute of Archaeology said that the "New Testament has a description of five loaves in a basket or the two fish depicted in the apse, as we find in the mosaic," which indicated to a similarity between the recent finding and the "Feeding the multitude."

He also told the Religion News Service that the so-called Burn Church, "itself is the legacy of the ministry of Jesus" and "I think they had collective memories of the miracles."

In addition, Eisenberg said that the newly found mosaic art was well crafted but it doesn't match with the quality of some other structures which were found in the Holy Land.

It should be mentioned that during Byzantine period at least seven churches "coexisted" around the Sea of Galilee said Eisenberg adding that the team hopes to discover other churches and for that "You need luck... a miracle."