CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 45

CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS.

THE MOSAIC FLOOR IN" THE GAZA DISTRICT. On the 19th December last we published some photographs of the Gaza, district in Palestine, also one showing a portion of the interesting coloured mosaic floor which had been unearthed, and also an article giving fomo particulars concerning 'the discovery. The photograph was of only a very small section of the mosaic floor, and gave httlo idea, of the beauty of the mosaic work. *

In our illustrated pages this week will be found a reproduction of a conv of the design hand-sketcbed by a young" Dunedin artist, Trooper Mackenzie. This gives a much better idea of the beauty of the mosajo floor, and it is not difficult to imagine how the effect is heightened by the colouring. The following particulars of the discover^ 3 of the mosaic have been supplied by a Now Zealand soldier recently invalided back from Palestine:

During the period between the first and second battles of Gaza the Anzao Mounted Division were kept very busy, and were constantly engaged in interfering with Turkish operations, and were almost daily engaged against strong enemy outposts, who were thrown out to enable the. Turks to carry on their railway-building, also trench-digging and making redoubts. Tho Anzac Division held all the country comprising Marakeb, Abasan-el-Kcbir, Tei-ei-Jcmmi. Shellal, and Tel-el-Fura, and were operating on tho flat in front of tho Turkish stronghold at Abu-ITareira. It was during the early days of the above operations, when the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade crossed Shellal as an advanco party, that Lieutenant-colonel Mackesy, D. 5.0., in charge of tho Auckland M.R., noticed a white stone projecting out of the side of the wadi or river bed. Being interested in ancient relics in Palestine, he immediately reported his find to Brigade Headquarters; but as the New Zealand _ Brigade were kept busy with Jacko nothing was done in the matter until the Light Horse reported the matter to Divisional Headquarters, who put a small guard on to prevent the find being damaged. Some time after when there came a lull in operations the Australians started to excavate, and the famous mosaic temple floor was discovered. They had (after some considerable difficulty) the floor removed to Cairo, and as it was too large to ship to Australia, had it cut into sections for transport to Australia; but some difficulty has cropped up. I presume the Egyptian Government has objected 'to its removal; but, the stone being found over the Egyptian frontier and on Turkish territory, I cannot understand what their grounds for objection was; so the stone is still in custody at the Australian stores at Cairo. The of the Cairo Museum was not impressed with the find, as he did not think it anoien't enough, but still olaced a value of £27,500 on it. Although the stone is now the property of the Austalians, it will bo seen that to New Zcalanders is tho honour of 'the find. About that time Lieutenant-colonel Mackesy left for a trip to New Zealand, and on his return to Egypt was surprised to find that New Zealand had lost its chance of obtaining the treasure; but to them all tho more honour, as they had more serious business on hand than hunting for buried treasure—hunting for Jacko's scalp was more in 'their lino.