Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel

A spectacular Byzantine church was unearthed during recent salvage excavations in Ramat Beit Shemesh. While it’s building date is unknown, mosaic inscriptions fund in the church indicate that the church was enlarged in the 6th century, during the reign of Emperor Justinian. Another mosaic inscription reveals that the church was built in honor of a “glorious martyr” whose relics were kept in the church but whose identity is unknown. The church was active until the 9th century when it was abandoned.