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Ancient Mosaic Unveiled in Israel

By MOSHE EDRI
,
AP
posted: 129 DAYS 9 HOURS AGO
comments: 410
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LOD, Israel (July 1) - Israeli archaeologists unveiled one of the largest and best preserved mosaics ever found in the country Wednesday, for only the second time since it was discovered more than a decade ago.
The 600-square-foot, 1,700-year-old Roman floor mosaic was found in 1996 during an archaeological dig in the town of Lod near Tel Aviv. It drew 10,000 visitors in the one weekend it was on display then, according to the Israeli Antiquities Authority, the government agency responsible for its restoration.
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The agency covered the mosaic back up, though, because it lacked funding to properly protect it, said Miriam Avisar, the archaeologist who first unearthed the mosaic.
That changed with a recent $2.5 million joint gift from the Leon Levy Foundation and antiquities collector Shelby White to fund construction of a new center to house the mosaic in Lod. The center is set to open in 2012, said Jacque Neguer, head of art conservation at the Antiquities Authority.
Antiquities Authority workers slowly rolled a thick covering off the massive mosaic Wednesday and began a laborious cleaning process using water and soft sponges. After the cleaning is completed, they'll transport the entire mosaic to Jerusalem for a lengthy preservation process.
The mosaic is made up of more than 2 million small stones and covered with detailed pictures and geometric shapes.
"The decorative elements are extremely rich and well executed," Neguer said. "We have hunting scenes, lions and giraffes from Africa, and scenes of the sea with ships and fish."
The mosaic is similar to others found in Tunisia and elsewhere in North Africa, Neguer said, indicating the owner or artist may not have been from Israel.
Neguer also said it's possible that portions of the mosaic will be displayed in Israel before the entire mosaic returns to Lod, but there are no definitive plans on that yet.
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Ancient Finds
Israeli archaeologists uncovered this quarry in Jerusalem, thought to have been used by King Herod to build the Jewish Temple 2,000 years ago. Authorities announced Monday the stones from the quarry were the right size for the temple's outer walls, which still stand today. The quarry dates back to the first century B.C.
Assaf Peretz, IAA / AP
Assaf Peretz, IAA / AP
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-07-01 09:01:09

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HaroldLynn

12:29 AMJul 06 2009

Israel needs to stop playing in the sand and attack all of Iran's nuclear facilities. The sooner the better!!!!!!!!!!! B B B Benny & the Jets, we need you.

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STaRgAzEr33154

09:04 PMJul 06 2009

Melrashid1 02:01 PMJul 05 2009 you are all so ignorant. Why do you have to turn a positive thread into something negative? This thread is about a discovery, not about the Palestinians and Israelis fighting. If you want to talk about that, go to the thread where that is the topic. Most of you to begin with are so uneducated about the middle east, so please.. stay out of the topic if you have no clue@@@ you must be knew to the land of board nonsense...they won't go away..you'll have to learn to just deal with it

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Melrashid1

02:01 PMJul 05 2009

you are all so ignorant. Why do you have to turn a positive thread into something negative? This thread is about a discovery, not about the Palestinians and Israelis fighting. If you want to talk about that, go to the thread where that is the topic. Most of you to begin with are so uneducated about the middle east, so please.. stay out of the topic if you have no clue

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benne841

11:42 AMJul 05 2009

Mirthing 01:50 PMJul 04 2009 benne, I don't think evolution has ever been verified@@@@@ Most nations of the world have universities and many universities have science departments and many science departments have a paleontology department: Australia, Russia China, Brazil, every nation in Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, etc. Every year these departments gather scientists and grad students who either take off to places around the world where they dig up fossils for study or remain in their labs at home exploring comparative genetics of various speices and determining when and how each speices diverged from the others. Without exception the results - the genetic experiments, the fossil experiments - verify evolution. Evolution is verified every year in numerous ways in many countries within the best universities on the planet. Now you can blind yourself to this world wide yearly verification or accept it, like the Theory of Gravity, Germ Theory, etc, or you...

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STaRgAzEr33154

12:32 AMJul 05 2009

Barbsbarbeeqs 09:47 PMJul 05 2009 Barbsbarbeeqs 12:50 PMJul 04 2009 so kid rock how is eastham Paul 71133 you liked the south west corner of the 610 loop huh gay prider god made gays to aid in the 2112 plan calling all jews hamms bear i like split tails like ALLAH and the real good will hunting dew the dew boback@@@@ YOU'VE MADE NOT ONLY NO SENSE..BUT NEED SPELL CHECK AS WELL...

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STaRgAzEr33154

06:59 PMJul 04 2009

Hccharles3 05:47 PMJul 04 2009 This remarkable. To find a relic from way back in the dark ages of 1996. Wow! life was just being discovered and most creatures were fish. I recall learning about that in ancient 1996 history class, before electricity and automobiles. life was a big mystery until now@@@@ I agree it's fascinating no matter what country the artifacts are from..it's still all a part of the world's history

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BH37IXOYE

06:52 PMJul 04 2009

So sad there are sooo many uneducated people that post here. The people of Israel have built, hospitals, schools, usinesses where their neighbours can work and all you idiots that post here can do is downgrade them. Poor uneducated slobs, of course they probably voted for Obama.

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STaRgAzEr33154

06:44 PMJul 04 2009

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STaRgAzEr33154

06:40 PMJul 04 2009

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Israeli archaeologists unveiled one of the largest and best preserved mosaics ever found in the country Wednesday, for only the second time since it was discovered more than a decade ago.