Should Australia return a late-antique mosiac to Israel?

REPATRIATION CONTROVERSY: Untold story of how WW1 Diggers 'stole' a priceless mosaic from the battlefield that's now in Australia's most sacred memorial... but the 'real' owners want it back (Stephen Gibbs, Daily Mail).

• Shellal Mosaic was laid in 6th century in Palestine
• It was dug up by Light Horsemen during World War I
• Mosaic was shipped to Australia and put on display

... Now known as the Shellal Mosaic, this extraordinary artwork not only survived the battle but for the past eight decades has been housed in Canberra at the Australian War Memorial.

How the Shellal Mosaic came to be displayed 14,000km from where it was found in what is now southern Israel is remarkable enough. Where it really belongs has been debated for a century across three continents. ...

Cross-file under Decorative Art.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.