Tuesday, November 20, 2007

CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN HALTED at a Tel Aviv building site due to the discovery of ancient material remains:
Ancient artifacts found at Tel Aviv building site

Construction of luxurious skyscraper in city's north halted after Israel Antiquities Authority finds Byzantine relics on site, launches exploratory dig

Ofer Petersburg
Published: 11.20.07, 11:01 / Israel Money (Ynetnews.com)

Gazit-Globe's latest real estate venture in northern Tel Aviv came to a surprising halt recently, after an initial land survey discovered an archeological site on the premises, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday.

The land survey, preformed by the Israel Antiquities Authority, discovered traces of antique pottery, presumed to be from the Byzantine era (4th to 15th centuries A.D), as well as evidence of an ancient wine-press.

Archeologists believe the area use to be a Philistine settlement. The first archeological findings in the area were made in the late 1940s, when pottery scribes discovered there were identified as ancient shipment logs dating back to the days of the First Temple.

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