Preserving an ancient mosaic: Israeli specialists gather to conserve 1,500-year-old synagogue floor

About 20 conservation specialists from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority gathered at Beit Alfa National Park in northern Israel to preserve the 1,500-year-old mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue. The team cleaned the surface, stabilized loose stones, and reinforced vulnerable areas. The mosaic, discovered in 1928, features panels depicting the Ark of the Covenant, the zodiac, and the Binding of Isaac.

About 20 conservation specialists from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) gathered at Beit Alfa National Park in northern Israel earlier this week to preserve the 1,500-year-old mosaic floor of the site's ancient synagogue. The team, led by INPA's Archaeology and Heritage Division, cleaned the mosaic's surface, stabilized loose stones, and reinforced vulnerable areas using repointing, completing a task that would have taken several days. The mosaic, discovered in 1928 by archaeologist Eleazar Lipa Sukenik, features three panels: the Ark of the Covenant, the zodiac with the Greek sun god Helios, and the Binding of Isaac. INPA director Orit Bortnik emphasized the responsibility to preserve the mosaic for future generations and invited the public to visit.