Footprints found under ancient mosaic

JPost ^ | October 14, 2009 | By JAMIE ROMM

[Jet Jaguar]

While they may not have been the markings of a pair of Naot sandals, Israel Antiquities Authority conservators discovered footprints over 1,700 years-old, under the Lod Mosaic and at least one print resembling a modern sandal.

Head of the Israel Antiquities AuthorityArt Conservation Branch Jacques Neguer said that when removing a section of a mosaic it is customary to clean its bedding, and study the material from which it is made and the construction stages and during that process, they found the footprints under the mosaic.

"We look for drawings and sketches that the artists made in the plaster and marked where each of the tesserae will be placed," Neguer said. "This is also what happened with the Lod mosaic: beneath a piece on which vine leaves are depicted, we discovered that the mosaic's builders incised lines that indicate where the tesserae should be set, and afterwards, while cleaning the layer, we found the imprints of feet and sandals: sizes 34, 37, 42 and 44."

He said that similarities of the footprints of the sandals lie in the fact that sandals today are based on the footwear of the past.

"They're simple," Neguer said. "If it's comfortable, why change it."

The 1,700 year old mosaic, which is one of the largest in Israel, was discovered in the city of Lod in 1996 and was covered again when funding could not be found for conservation.

The 1,700 year-old mosaic at Lod under which conservators found the footprints.

[Jet Jaguar]

[Jet Jaguar]

Ping.

[a fool in paradise]

“One small step...”

[FourPeas]

Very cool.

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks Jet Jaguar. "The handwriting's Pat's" ping. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
·Dogpile · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society · · Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·

[eleni121]

Absolutely superb!

[Fred Nerks]

Revealing the colours:

[afraidfortherepublic]

That is incredibly beautiful! Where was this located? Public building? Private home?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[Popman]

He said that similarities of the footprints of the sandals lie in the fact that sandals today are based on the footwear of the past.

Well considering the human foot has not changed in the last 1,700 years I'm not really surprised sandals are basically the same today as back then

[dsc]

Anybody know where there’s a high-resolution graphic file of the mosaic?

[Jet Jaguar]

Not me. But I will bump the post. Hopefully someone can find it.

[dsc]

Thanks.

[SunkenCiv]

YouTube: The Lod Mosaic: The Discovery of an Ancient Roman Mosaic [The Met]