Reports from the Field: Day 3 @ El Araj

Gold (gilded) tesserae likely from a Byzantine mosaic

Today we had some fascinating finds as we continue to dig down through Crusader and Byzantine remains and expose more Roman period settlement. In the afternoon Motti Aviam, the director of our excavation guided us at Kursi (site of ancient Gergesa) and the ancient theater at Tiberias. Among our most significant finds were more gold gilded tesserae, a portion of the marble chancel screen from the Byzantine church of Peter and Andrew (still not located), and a Byzantine "M" coin.

Fragment of marble chancel perhaps from a Byzantine church, the church of Peter and Andrew

Example of a marble chancel from Baal Beq

Uncleaned Byzantine "M" coin

L. Uncleaned Byzatine M coin discovered at El Araj; R. Example of a Byzantine M coin