Israel Antiquities Authority uncovers Byzantine-era monastery at construction site

The remains of a monastery dating back 1,500 years, including a mosaic floor adorned with birds, have been unearthed at an Israeli construction site, the Antiquities Authority said Wednesday. The Byzantine-era monastery, which includes a church, was uncovered during excavations ahead of the expansion of an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood in the city Bet Shemesh. The Antiquities Authority director of the dig, Benyamin Storchan, said his team was “surprised by the wonderful state of preservation of the ancient remains, and the richness of the finds being uncovered.” Artifacts uncovered include a marble pillar base decorated with crosses and marble window screens from Turkey, as well as the elaborate mosaic floor featuring birds, leaves and pomegranates. “The richness found at the site suggests that complex may have been a main