Hundreds of colourful fragments of a Roman fresco have been found in the Cippori National Park. The discovery was made by a team of researchers from the Jewish University in Jerusalem.
The place, also known as Sepphoris, was an ancient city in the centre of Lower Galilee in the north of Israel.
On the fragments of the fresco, we can see a lion’s head, a horned animal, a bird, and a tiger’s rump as well as floral patterns and geometric motifs. It is believed that the painting adorned one or more rooms in a monumental public building, which was probably built in the early 2nd century CE.
In the central part of the building, there was a paved courtyard and a side portico. In the western and northern parts of the courtyard, there were underground vaults that served as water reservoirs.
In antiquity, the building was pulled down and a new structure was built in its place.
