1,500-year-old Byzantine monastery, featuring mosaic with Greek inscription of a verse from the Book of Deuteronomy, discovered near Kiryat Gat.

An ancient Christian monastery, dating back to the Byzantine period, was discovered in southern Israel recently, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday morning.

During excavations north of Kiryat Gat, conducted ahead of plans to build a new neighborhood, IAA teams discovered a colorful monastery floor, along with a Greek inscription of a biblical verse.

The excavation revealed the remains of at least ten buildings, including the monastery, the winepress and a large warehouse building.

The monastery is dated to the Byzantine period (5th-6th centuries CE), and it is part of an ancient site that already existed during the Roman period and continued for approximately 600 years.

The findings revealed in the monastery and its environs include a great quantity of imported ware, coins, marble elements, metal and glass vessels, all attesting to the rich and significant community living here.

The monastery’s mosaic floor features crosses, lions, doves, an amphora (a ceramic maritime shipping jug), flowers and geometric patterns.

In its center, the ancient inscription in Greek was set — “Blessed are you when you come in, and blessed are you when you go out” (Deuteronomy 28:6). The mosaic’s geometric patterns incorporate very small mosaic stones, which served to highlight the cross-shaped decorations.