Gaza farmer unearths Byzantine-era mosaic

STORY: Location: Gaza City, Gaza

A Palestinian farmer discovered this Byzantine mosaic by chance

which is thought to be between 1300 and 1500 years old

Salman al-Nabahin unearthed the relic while working in his olive orchard

He and his son were trying to work out why some trees had not properly taken root

when his son's axe hit something hard and unfamiliar

[Salman al-Nabahin, Farmer]

"I searched on the internet, with my nephew. We learned that it was a mosaic belonging to the Byzantine era."

"I see it as a treasure, dearer than a treasure. It is a Palestinian legacy."

Gaza is rich with antiquities, having been an important trading spot for civilizations

Some floor panels depict animals and other features of social life during the Byzantine era