On the outskirts of the Israeli desert city of Rahat, researchers have uncovered the remains of a beautiful 1,200-year-old estate. According to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the luxurious property was discovered during excavations in an area between two ancient mosques in an urban sprawl.
The property consists of four wings and is arranged around a central patio. Some rooms had marble and stone floors, others had plaster floors. The walls of some rooms are decorated with frescoes, the IAA archaeologists report.
Five and a half meters below the courtyard of the luxurious mansion, the researchers discovered stone storerooms and cisterns (pictured below) that were up to 2.5 meters high. Shards of clay oil lamps were also found there, reports ILO researcher Oren Samueli.
Home of elite Muslim family
Footage (video above) shows the excavation and pottery(s) that were found. It is believed that the palatial home was home to wealthy, elite Muslim families who lived in the area at the time. “They lived at a time when a nearby mosque was operational, and they probably used it,” said scholar Samueli.
In Rahat, one of the oldest mosques in modern-day Israel was discovered only in 2019 – it was built in the 7th or 8th century -. It comes from a period of cultural and religious change during the transition from the Byzantine to the Islamic period.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
