Singular mosaic is restored

Experts have restored a 1,400-year-old glass mosaic glowing in gold, recovered from a site next to the Sea of Galilee, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday.

The mosaic panel is believed by the Israel Antiquities Authority to be the only one in the world, citing the quality of its preservation, given its age and its gleaming, gilded craftsmanship indicating Christian origins.

“It’s a unique find, a piece of art,” said Joseph Patrich, professor of archaeology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The mosaic was discovered in 2005 in Caesarea, an ancient city on the western coast of the Sea of Galilee known for its ancient Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins. During excavation of a palace, the original floor was exposed, revealing the panel lying face down in one of the larger paved mosaics.

The owner and origin of the palace in which the panel was found is unclear -- all that is known is that the residents were likely Christian, experts said. The original role of the restored panel also remains unknown.