[Israel Antiquities Authority] A spacious edifice from the Roman period (third century CE) - apparently a mansion that belonged to a wealthy individual - was recently exposed in the excavations at the City of David in Jerusalem. Dr. Doron Ben-Ami said, "The building covered an area of approximately 1,000 square meters. In the center of it was a large open courtyard surrounded by columns. Galleries were spread out between the rows of columns and the rooms that flanked the courtyard. The wings of the building rose to a height of two stories and were covered with tile roofs." A large quantity of fresco fragments was discovered in the collapsed ruins from colorful paintings on the walls.
2009-08-21 08:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive