Beit Shemesh, Israel, December 20, 2017
Archaeologists and over 1,000 teenagers have uncovered the remarkable remains of a 1,500-year-old Byzantine monastery church in Beit Shemesh, Israel, 20 miles west of Jerusalem, reports the Israel Antiquities Authority.
The church is adorned with mosaic floors and imported marble structures currently being uncovered in ongoing excavations conducted by the Antiquities Authority.
Photo: jewishpress.com “We were surprised by the wonderful state of preservation of the ancient remains, and the richness of the finds being uncovered,” says excavation director Benyamin Storchan. “The artifacts found in the large building, which seems to be a monastic compound, may indicate that the site was important and perhaps a center for ancient pilgrims in the Judean Shephelah region. During the excavation, we uncovered before our eyes the remains of walls built of large worked stone masonry and a number of architectural elements including a marble pillar base decorated with crosses and marble window screens. The marble artifacts were brought from the region of Turkey and further inland by wagon. In one of the rooms we uncovered a beautiful mosaic floor decorated with birds, leafs, and pomegranates,” he added.
Photo: jewishpress.com A number of ancient churches and monasteries have already been discovered in the Judean Shephelah, “but this one has outstanding preservation,” Storchan exclaimed. It is also one of the largest in the region.
Photo: jewishpress.com The monastery seems to have been emptied and abandoned in the 7th century, likely due to rise of the then-newly-created Islam. Among the items left behind, thus far uncovered by the team are a bronze cross, oil lamps, fish hooks, and even fish bones.
Photo: jewishpress.com Over 1,000 teenagers from different groups and organizations have participated in the excavation since it began in the summer. Only a small portion of the monastery has been uncovered thus far.
Photo: jewishpress.com 
