A couple of city blocks away from the new industrial buildings and noisy highway in the Israeli town of Kfar Qasim, an ancient estate has been dug up. Open tents protect the remains of Byzantine-era buildings. Archeologist expose a wealth of artifacts—a stone olive press, two ritual stone baths, and a staggeringly intricate mosaic floor.
Researches darkened the pale dust covering an excavated floor area by spritzing it with water to make the mosaic’s designs and rich color stand out. They believe the ancient estate, located within the construction site of a new neighborhood development near the West Bank, was once a place of luxury. Over the centuries, however, it became an agricultural hub for producing olive oil.
