The ancient mosaics found across Gaza are colorful pages of history, with each tiny piece of stone or glass telling a story of a people and land that spans centuries. When wars and conflicts strike, both people and these cultural artifacts are placed at great risk of being lost or destroyed, silencing these vital testimonies of the past forever.
Bureij Mosaic
In 2022, Palestinian farmer Salman al-Nabahin noticed his olive trees were struggling to take root. His son took an axe to the earth and struck a hard surface. This led to the discovery of a spectacular Byzantine floor mosaic featuring 17 icons of animals and sea creatures like octopuses, geese, and dogs. al-Nabahin said:
“I see it as a treasure, dearer than a treasure...it belongs to every Palestinian.”
“I see it as a treasure, dearer than a treasure...it belongs to every Palestinian.”
Tragically, this ornate artifact was bulldozed and destroyed in 2024.
Byzantine Church of Jabaliya
This church was discovered in 1997 with restoration completed in 2022. Twelve students from the College of History and Archaeology of the Islamic University of Gaza were trained and cooperated to restore and polish an ancient picture. It was completely destroyed in 2024 despite efforts to protect it.
Check out this video of the whole site:
Visite 360° du programme INTIQAL 2030 dans la Bande de Gaza : Eglise byzantine de Jabaliya
Visite 360° du programme INTIQAL 2030 dans la Bande de Gaza : Eglise byzantine de Jabaliya
The Absan Mosaics
These colorful Byzantine floor mosaics were discovered in the 1990s near Khan Younis. Due to fear of conflict that had destroyed other ancient historical sites, Archaeologist felt the best way to protect these mosaics was back beneath the earth--reburying them until funding could be secured for a proper museum or restoration site.
They we’re destroyed in the 2014 war.
