Athena Review Image Archive ™
Jerusalem: Al Aqsa nave, mosaic buried beneath Pier 6
Jerusalem: Al Aqsa nave, mosaic beneath Pier 6 (Photo: DAP 20-943/IAA)
This photo (DAP 20-943) shows the mosaic revealed under Pier 6 in the Al Aqsa nave. The edge of the stylobate of pier 6 is seen at the bottom of the image.
The mosaic portion under Pier 6 has a diamond-shaped pattern made of small tesserae, both of which aspects appear identical to the mosaic below Pier 3, located 10-12 meters to the south. This suggests they were part of the same floor in the same room, which may predate the known construction sequence of the Mosque.
The Palestine Department of Antiquities (DAP) tested and documented Al Aqsa Mosque in 1938-1942. Photos, drawings, and R. W. Hamilton`s 1942 report are in the Archives at the Israeli Archaeology Authority (iaa-archives-org.il).
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