Neguer explains that the mosaics of the Land of Israel were influenced by the cultures surrounding it and the art coming from Egypt, Rome and Byzantium.
The mosaic also features geometric shapes and a medallion with fish swimming at its center. The Megiddo mosaic bears many inscriptions, including the name of a lady who dedicated the altar to Jesus Christ, one of the earliest mentions of the name. “For example, the mosaic discovered at Megiddo Prison is probably the floor of the earliest church to have been found in the world and is a very rich source of information, both technological and artistic, as well as relaying information about the way people lived in that time period.” “In addition, there’s also the information that appears in the inscriptions,” he says. “Mosaics have an artistic component that tells of life during a certain period, about the mythology of the time, and there’s also a very strong element of aesthetics,” explains Jacques Neguer, the head of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s art conservation department.
They were continuously created here through the 11 th century, leaving us with documentation of Roman, Byzantine and early Arab culture in the area. The art of mosaics arrived in the Land of Israel from Rome around the time of Herod the Great 2,000 years ago. For such a small country, Israel sure boasts a huge number of ancient mosaics – some 7,000 of them, to be precise.Īnd those are just the ones that have been discovered and registered, with new archaeological digs or happy accidents regularly unearthing more ancient treasures.
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