Salman al-Nabahin discovered the mosaic pavement, believed to date from the fifth to seventh centuries AD, six months ago while working in his olive grove in the Bureij refugee camp, about half a mile from the border with Israel . Trying to figure out why some trees weren’t rooted properly, Nabahin said he and his son started digging. Then the son’s ax hit something hard and unfamiliar in appearance. Salman al-Nabahin and his son on the newly discovered mosaic floor from the Byzantine era. Photo: Ahmed Zakot/SOPA Images/Rex/Shutterstock “I looked on the Internet… We found out it was a Byzantine-era mosaic,” said the father of seven, sitting next to his discovery. “I see it as a treasure, dearer than treasure. It is not personal, it belongs to every Palestinian.” The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the mosaic included several panels depicting animals and other features of social life during the Byzantine era, the continuation of the Roman empire in the eastern provinces from the fifth century. “The archaeological discovery is still in its early stages and we expect to learn more of the secrets and values of the culture,” the ministry said in a statement. “The national research teams work in collaboration with international experts and scientists from the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem.” Detail of the Byzantine mosaic found in Gaza, half a mile from the border with Israel. Photo: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock Gaza is rich in antiquities, having been an important trading point for cultures dating back to the ancient Egyptians and Philistines depicted in the Bible, to the Roman Empire and the Crusades from the 11th to 13th centuries. Several discoveries have been made in recent years. Due to a lack of funds and expertise, Gaza usually calls on international teams to help with the excavation and maintenance process.
