Beautiful Mosaic Floor Uncovered at Site of Prophet Zacharia's Tomb in Israel

Israel National News/Arutz 7 reports that archaeologists have uncovered an especially large and beautiful mosaic floor at the site in Hirbat Madras, on the Judaen coastal plain, identified by scholars as the residence and tomb of the Prophet Zacharia. The report states that the finds at the site include the ruins of an ancient synagogue dating back to Second Temple times. Hirbet Madras was known as the site of a large, important Jewish community from the Second Temple period. The city was destroyed during the Bar Kochba Revolt in 135 CE.

However, the destruction of Hirbet Madras did not end its use as a religious site. According to archaeologists, "Based on the results of the excavation, a church dating to the Byzantine period was apparently built inside a large public compound from the Second Temple period and the Bar Kochba Revolt. Eight marble columns bearing capitals especially imported from Turkey graced the nave of the basilica."

It is unclear to me from the Israel National News report whether the mosaic floor dates back to the Second Temple structure or was installed later in the Byzantine church. Regardless, other discoveries at the site bore witness to its use during the Second Temple period. "Among the items found in the rooms were coins from the time of the Great Revolt (66-70 CE) and the Bar Kochba Revolt (132 - 135 CE), stone vessels, lamps and various Jewish pottery vessels from the period."

Of course, since according to Palestinian "scholars" Jews never lived in the Land of Israel before the Zionist invasion, clearly there has been some colossal misunderstanding by the archaeologists and Hirbet Madras must be the remnants of the ancient Palestinian Arab civilization. I hope there is no Hebrew writing on those coins--it would be embarrassing.