Ancient Mosaic Found in 'Burnt Church' May Depict Miracle Described in the New Testament

Live Science ^ | September 19 [?] 2019 | Yasemin Saplakoglu

[SunkenCiv]

Now referred to as the "Burnt Church," this structure was likely burned to the ground during a Sasanian conquest of Hippos in the beginning of the seventh century. (The Sasanian empire was the last Persian empire before the emergence of Islam). Its mosaic floors, however, were well preserved in the ash.

The mosaic was very colorful and had two Greek inscriptions that describe the ancient church fathers, who built the church for a martyr named "Theodoros." The mosaic was also covered in geometric patterns, birds, fish, fruit and baskets. Some of the baskets were filled with loaves of bread and fish, likely in reference to one of the "Feeding the Multitude" miracles described in the New Testament, according to the statement. The scripture describes Jesus multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish in order to feed 5,000 men.

Similarly, the mosaic has portions depicting five loaves of bread and two fish. The mosaic also shows the 12 baskets of bread and fish that the scripture says Jesus' disciples were left with after feeding the hungry.

While there may be other explanations for the mosaic, "You cannot ignore the similarity to the description in the New Testament," Michael Eisenberg, head of the excavation team in Hippos and archeologist with the Zinman Institute of Archeology at the University of Haifa, said in the statement.

[SunkenCiv]

A newly discovered ancient mosaic may depict one of jesus' most famous miracles.A newly discovered ancient mosaic may depict one of jesus' most famous miracles.(Image: © University of Haifa)

[txnativegop]

How interesting. Thanks for the post SunkenCiv, you’ve made another excellent post.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, I was just checking for this one (below) and was surprised to see a number of other topics about and/or related to the ongoing dig at Hippos.

Mask Metamorphosis
By JARRETT A. LOBELL
September/October 2016
https://www.archaeology.org/issues/227-1609/trenches/4732-trenches-israel-pan-mask
(Courtesy Michael Eisenberg) Pan mask during (left) and after (right) cleaning and conservation
https://www.archaeology.org/images/SO2016/Trenches/Trenches-Israel-Pan-combined.jpg

[knarf]

I am fascinated by the "why" of anything.

Ancient discoveries almost always answer or question the "why"ness of itself.

Like;

A drunken revelry resulted in a patron losing his mask on the way home behind a dumpster where he had thrown up and passed out (which is why he couldn't find it after his wife threatened him with divorce if he didn't recover the wedding gift her father had given HIM as part of a dowry) and forever more lived under the shrew's nastiness.

If it happens today, it happened then .... nothing's changed about human nature.

[Jeff Chandler]

wait what

[gitmo]

??????

[SunkenCiv]

He may just have puked really hard, and been too drunk to locate the mask when it flew off. Or just forgot he'd ever been wearing it. :^) Bacchus! is the sound of puking, to the ancient Greeks, btw. Okay, yes, I can't substantiate that at all...

[robowombat]

Now referred to as the “Burnt Church,” this structure was likely burned to the ground during a Sasanian conquest of Hippos in the beginning of the seventh century.

This was part of the duel to the death between the Sassanids and the Byzantine (East Roman) Empire. The Persians wreaked havoc on the Greco-Romans and in return the hero emperor Heraclitus conducted a series of campaigns ending with a crushing defeat of the Persians and the destruction of the sacred Fire Temple deep inside Persia . For this largely unknown war see : https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/persian-campaign-emperor-heraclius

Unfortunately these protracted and almost genocidal wars fatally weakened the Sassanids and coupled with the human cost of the Bubonic Plague of Justinian did the same to the Greco-Roman Empire. The ultimate beneficiary of these wars were the Muzzards who gained many victories at remarkably low costs due to the damage war and pestilence had done to these two great empires.

[SunkenCiv]

Alas, and I wholeheartedly agree.

OTOH, some blue language here, but I read this once in a while and laugh my big butt right off:

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/basil.html

[knarf]

see #7

[knarf]

see #7

[knarf]

Neither can I mine, but ...... read my tag line

[Dave W]

What in the world are you talking about? You make no sense...are you sure you are posting to the right thread?

[dinodino]

What?

[Louis Foxwell]

By the end of the day, which can begin at any hour, day or night, the thread is not nearly as important as the post. Put it where it can be seen. That is the only rule.

[FrogMom]

LOL Yes!

[Buckeye McFrog]

Looks like it held up better than the bathroom floor in my last house.

[knarf]

see #7

[knarf]

see #7