A Byzantine-era monastery has been rediscovered in a military zone near Shoham, Israel.
(dpa) Israeli soldiers have rediscovered a 1,500-year-old monastery complex during a military exercise. During the training near the town of Shoham, parts of the site were accidentally damaged, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said on Monday. This was taken as an opportunity to re-excavate the site discovered 20 years ago.
Parts of the Byzantine-era ruins were found by the IAA in 2002, but re-covered with earth to protect the site. At that time, two buildings were already uncovered. One included a church with a mosaic floor, as well as an entrance hall, dormitories and an underground burial complex, according to IAA excavator Issy Kornfeld. The other building included a kitchen, a dining room and a hostel for pilgrims.
“As so often in ancient times, the monastery was built here to commemorate an old tradition, possibly the burial place of Hanna, the mother of the prophet Samuel,” said Kornfeld. Some female skeletons were also found during the original excavation. It is assumed that it was a women’s monastery.