1600 year old beer shema mosaic publicly accessible israel 1234743682

A 1,600-year-old mosaic known as the Be'er Shema Mosaic has been opened to the public for the first time at the Merhavim Regional Council complex in northwestern Negev, Israel. Originally unearthed in 1990 near Kibbutz Urim, the mosaic features 55 medallions depicting hunting scenes, exotic animals, mythological figures, fruit, and daily life, and was created by a master craftsman using small stones, varied colors, glass, and pottery. It was rediscovered, conserved, and relocated from its original site to the council compound as part of the "Antiquities Near Home" project co-organized by the Ministry of Heritage and the Israel Antiquities Authority.