Conservation of the Beth Leontis and El Maker mosaics at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Undertaken with the support of the A. G. Leventis Foundation, the conservation of the Beth Leontis and El Maker mosaics at the Israel Museum brings the artistic and historical richness of the Museum’s Byzantine-era mosaics to local and international audiences. The Beth Leontis mosaic is centrally located in the Museum’s Route of Passage, and its restoration was completed in full view of the public, regularly observed by visitors. Unearthed in a public building in Beth Shean, the mosaic includes a Greek dedicatory inscription as well as two mythological scenes, attesting to the persistence of Hellenistic culture during the 6th century, when most of the inhabitants were already Christian, Jewish, or Samaritan. In addition, the El Maker mosaic is prominently displayed at the main entrance to the Museum’s galleries. Decorated with geometric patterns and crosses, it dates to the 5th century and is a segment of a floor from a Byzantine church in the Western Galilee.
Grants given:
2015, 2016
