FIND IN CITY OF DAVID

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16836, 27 December 1928, Page 10

FIND IN CITY OF DAVID

RARE INSCRIPTION JERUSALEM, Dec. 13. Hr. J. W. Crowfoot, director of ltic British School of Archteplogy in' this city, who has been excavating tit Ophel at the accepted site of the City of David on behalf of the Palestine Exploration Fttpd, litis discovered a Byzantine mosaic Hour and an inscription in perfect'condition'. Inscriptions are exceedingly rare in Palestine. This is only the third that has been found at Ophel since the excavation work was" begun in the year ‘ISCS7. It iS enclosed in a circular border about 4ft iff diameter. The translation of the Greek presented .difficulty, but the following is regarded as accurate: “Thou who liast' renewed me and decorated me with mosaics, mayest thou, after having bathed in. good health, enjoy thy .foundation. 0 Lord, count Kugenius with thy family.” ■ The reference to bathing suggests the possibility of medicinal water from the Pool of ISilonm. The date is not quite certain yet, but on cpigraphie grounds the inscription appears to be of the fifth or sixth century. The mosaic is different from those employed on the late sixth century Byzantine street discovered in 1U27, 'and the, room is built on a slightly different axis! Eugenius is a common name, and the particular person referred to has not vet been identified.