Journalist Miriam Sela-Eitam reported in a report for the Jerusalem Post that a missile fired from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel on Friday had landed in Nahariya, specifically on the remains of a church dating back to the Byzantine era. This fall caused damage to the protective structure that was erected to protect this archaeological site.
It should be noted that this church, which was rediscovered by the Nahariya Municipality in 1964, includes a colorful mosaic floor dating back to about 550 AD. The site was originally destroyed by the Persians in 614 AD. Later, the Israel Antiquities Authority restored the site over two years, and it was reopened to the public in 2022.
Following the missile strike, a team of archaeologists and restoration experts from the Israel Antiquities Authority, in cooperation with representatives of the municipality and the tax authority, conducted a field assessment of the damage. Initial estimates indicate that the mosaic itself was not damaged, although it was covered in debris resulting from damage to the protective structure.
This masterpiece extends over an area of more than 500 square metres, and is characterized by rich decoration that includes more than 100 medallions, of which 87 medallions remain, depicting scenes from daily life including animals, humans and hunting scenes, in addition to Christian symbols and natural elements such as grapes and pomegranates.
In the center of the floor is a circular decoration with an optical three-dimensional design, whose details have been preserved almost perfectly over the centuries, although traces of ancient damage are still visible, including black and white spots and quantities of molten lead.
It is worth noting that the church complex was built over the remains of an older temple dating back about 4,500 years, which reflects the succession of civilizations on this site, and highlights the historical connection of the region extending between southern Lebanon and the Palestinian coast.
