Press Release
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
www.antiquities.org.il/about_eng.asp?Modul_id=14

The Footprints of the Builders of the Lod Mosaic were Exposed

While removing the mosaic from the ground, Israel Antiquities Authority
conservators were surprised to discover 1,700 year old foot and sandal
prints beneath it

Head of the Israel Antiquities Authority Art Conservation Branch, "It's
exciting. This is the first time I have ever encountered personal evidence
such as this under a mosaic".

Step by step, piece by piece, the conservation experts of the Israel
Antiquities Authority detached the Lod mosaic from the ground and
transferred it to the IAA conservation laboratories in Jerusalem.

The 1,700 year old mosaic, which is one of the largest and most magnificent
ever seen in Israel, was exposed in the city of Lod in 1996 and was covered
again when no resources could be found for its conservation. Thirteen years
after efforts were made to raise the large amount required to treat the
unique artifact, the IAA received a contribution from the Leon Levy
Foundation that is specifically earmarked for the purpose of conserving and
developing the site, in cooperation with the Municipality of Lod. The mosaic
was re-excavated, exhibited to the public and is now being removed from the
area for treatment in the IAA conservation laboratories. The mosaic, which
constitutes a real archaeological gem that is extraordinarily
well-preserved, is c. 180 sq m in size. It is composed of colorful carpets
that depict in great detail mammals, birds, fish, floral species, and
sailing and merchant vessels that were in use at the time. It is believed
the mosaic floor was part of a villa that belonged to a wealthy man in the
Roman period.

Recently the conservators were surprised to discover that the builders of
the beautiful mosaic left their personal mark there: while working on the
plaster bedding which is done before attaching the mosaic, the artisans trod
on it wearing sandals and in their bare feet.

According to Jacques Neguer, head of the IAA Art Conservation Branch, "When
removing a section of mosaic it is customary to clean its bedding, and that
way study the material from which it is made and the construction stages. We
look for drawings and sketches that the artists made in the plaster and
marked where each of the tesserae will be placed. This is also what happened
with the Lod mosaic: beneath a piece on which vine leaves are depicted, we
discovered that the mosaic's builders incised lines that indicate where the
tesserae should be set, and afterwards, while cleaning the layer, we found
the imprints of feet and sandals: sizes 34, 37, 42 and 44. At least one
imprint of a sole resembles a modern sandal. Based on the concentration of
foot and sandal prints it seems that the group of builders tamped the mortar
in place with their feet".

Neguer added, "The mosaic consists of three parts that different artists
built, probably in different periods. There are different kinds of art here,
and we can see that the hand that affixed the tesserae is different: a
trained eye recognizes that the preparation which was done prior to the work
is different. Besides the necessary professionalism, exposing the footprints
is also the result of a lot of luck. It is not always possible to cut the
layers of the mosaic precisely so that we discover such a clear picture of
the plaster with the incising on it".

Neguer states that, "the excitement here was great. It is fascinating to
discover a 1,700 year old personal mark of people who are actually like us,
who worked right here on the same mosaic. We feel the continuity of
generations here".

The hand and foot prints that were revealed will be removed from the area
and will be conserved and returned to the site together with the mosaic, to
the Shelby White and Leon Levy Lod Mosaic Archaeological Center.

The conservation of the site in Lod is meant to be a springboard that will
boost tourism and a leverage that will alter the image of the city. The
mosaic is located in the eastern part of Lod, next to the entrance at
Ginnaton Junction. This intersection is easily reached from Ben Gurion
Airport and from two of the country's main highways: Highway 1, which
connects Tel Aviv with Jerusalem, and Highway 6, which links the north of
the country with the south. The site is situated between two streets:
He-Halutz Street, which leads to the marketplace and Struma Street, which
leads to the city's historic center. The location of the site next to the
country's main transportation arteries makes it highly accessible and will
facilitate turning it into a site that is of interest to the entire country.
The municipality, in cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority,
plans to integrate it into a tourism circuit that will include a number of
historic sites in the city.

Click here to download high resolution pictures of the footprints and the
mosaic.
www.antiquities.org.il/images/press/iaa_footprint.zip
Photographic credit: Niki Davidov, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities
Authority.

For further information, kindly contact Yoli Shwartz, Israel Antiquities
Authority Spokesperson, 972-52-5991888, dovrut@israntique.org.il