An Israeli archaeologist points at a nearly 1,800-year-old decorated floor from an early Christian prayer hall that Israeli archaeologists discovered in 2005. Israeli officials are considering uprooting the mosaic and loaning it to the controversial Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C.
August 25, 2023
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Ancient Christian mosaic's possible move sparks concern
An ancient Holy Land mosaic inscribed with an early reference to Jesus as God is at the center of a controversy that has riled archaeologists. Should the centuries-old decorated floor, located near the prophesied site of Armageddon, be uprooted and loaned to a U.S. museum that has been criticized for past acquisition practices? Israeli officials are considering just that. The proposed loan to the Museum of the Bible in Washington also underscores the deepening ties between Israel and evangelical Christians in the U.S, whom Israel has come to count on for political support, tourism dollars and other benefits.