Planting olive trees leads to archeological treasure

Palestinian farmer Salman al-Nabahin and his son clean a mosaic floor he discovered at his farm in Bureij, Gaza. Photo by Ahmed Zakot.

A Palestinian farmer has discovered an ornate Byzantine floor mosaic while trying to plant an olive tree on his land in the Gaza Strip. Experts have called it one of the greatest archeological treasures ever found in Gaza.

Trying to figure out why some trees had not taken root, Salman al-Nabahin said he and his son began digging. Then the son’s axe hit something hard and unfamiliar in appearance.

“I searched on the internet ... we learnt it was mosaic belonging to the Byzantine era,” said the father-of-seven, sitting next to his discovery. “I see it as a treasure, dearer than a treasure. It isn’t personal, it belongs to every Palestinian.”