DISCOVERY IN THE HOLY LAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1917, Page 1

DISCOVERY IN THE HOLY LAND.

1400-YEAR-OLD church

(From W. T. Massey.)

Near Gaza, August i In Southern Palestine Australians have brought to light what remains the ravages of time, have left of a most beautiful churchy and a magnificent mosaic has been lifted to tell the people of the Commonwealth (it that prove to be the mosaic’s destination) of' the v faith of an old race, and of an art in decoration prosecuted with the fervor ofbelievers.

The discover}" was made at Shellal, between Beershebu and Khan Yunus. Thus the church was on the main road from Jerusalem to Egypt, the road the Ethiopian eunuch took when he met Philip and was baptised. Shellal in Arabic means “bubbling springs.” Perhaps it was at these springs, which to-day give abundant water for-our troops, that he was baptised. x

When we were making ready for an advance on Gaza the Assistant Provost Marshal of the Anzac Mounted Division (Captain Jordan) went up a high mound which dominated the oldest crossing of the Wadi Guzze, and he found the Turks, in digging a trench around the summit and making a machine gun emplacement, had revealed the edge of the mosaic. He made sure a large platform existed, and then some officers and men got to work on the hilltop, and after removing some six feet of soil and debris they cleared a mosaic floor measuring some 27ft by 18ft. The floor remained exposed till photographs, drawings in colour, and notes could be taken of it, and after due deliberation as to the best means of removing it, the task of lifting it began, a task requiring great care which took 14 days. Not a stone was lost.

1,400 years old. The inscription, or that portion of it which has survived the wrecking work of rains, has been translated by Mr A. H. Smith, of the Department of Graeco-Roman Antiquities, British Museum, to read thus:

“X (sign of the Cross). This temple with spacious (? foundations) was built by our most holy (bishop or similar title) and most pious George in the year 622 according to (? the year of Gaza).”

The era of Gaza commenced b.c. 61, which would give the date of the church as a.d. 561. Another possible era is that of Bostra, then the date of the church would be a.d. 727.

The Rev Maitland Woods, an Army chaplain, says the inscription elaborated would read something like this : “X. And so he contributed generously to the building of this church here: he was the most saintly of us all, and the most beloved of God. George was his name, and the building was erected in the 622nd year after (the- Roman foundation of the city of Gaza),” The chaplain says “Under this inscription were discovered the bones of the saint, lying feet to east and arms crossed on chest. These, almost 1,400 years old, crumbled at the touch. The right forearm had been broken, and had setbeautifully, which was evidenced by the extra bulging bone growth around the fracture.”

This mosaic and the remains of the saint, recovered from destruction by waters washing away the hill, are now in many cases packed away at a spot far lrom the scene of battle. They will some time after peace is declared find a sate repository in a city where they will be appreciated.