DISCOVERY IN PALESTINE. ANCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH. A BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC.

From W. T. Massey. Near Gaza, Aug. 1. Three times the voice of a dead Greek Christianity has called to our troops across the ages on the Army’s journey from the Suez Canal, over the Desert of Sinai, and into Palestine. It seems a long time ago now, though it is only a year, since Major Crawshay Williams discovered and photographed a small ancient building at Pelusium with a cross over the stone lintel. At Phelusiat, north of Mazar, New Zealanders found the marble remains of two splendid churches with polished columns. In Southern Palestine Australians have brought to light what remains the ravages of time have left of a most beautiful church, and a magnificent mosaic has been lifted to tell the people of the Commonwealth (if that proves to be the mosaic’s destination) of the faith of an old race, and of an art in decoration prosecuted with the fervour of believers. The latest discovery was made at Shellal, between Beersheba and Khan Yunus. Thus the church was on the main road from Jerusalem to Egypt, the road the Ethiopian eunuch took when he met Philip and was baptised. Shellal in Arabic means “bubbling springs.” Perhaps it was at these springs, which to-day give abundant water for our troops, that he was baptised. The hill on which the church was built was originally much larger, but heavy rains of centuries have washed the sides away. Hence the break in the inscription, which would now stretch over the edge of the hill. In their intervals of fighting and marching over desert and plain the men of the Desert Column have found no subject of discussion more interesting than this ancient floor, and the meaning of the allegories in mosaic has formed the theme of many a talk in bivouac after the day’s work was done. Is it surprising that to soldiers, who are fighting for principles which had their birth in this cradle of Christianity, this discovery has served to put a keen edge on their desire to see more of the land of the Bible? Nothing will better illustrate their enthusiasm at the recovery of this relic of early Christians than an account of the care taken in the removal of the mosaic, and the reverence with which the bones of the pious founder, George, or St. George, were placed in a casket. The work was done under the direction of the Rev. W. Maitland Woods, senior chaplain (Church of England) of the Anzac Mounted Division, and during the fourteen days he and his willing band of workers were at their task they were often within range of the enemy’s guns, while frequently a Boche aeroplane crew displayed interest and suspicion at their earnest labours. WORK OF EXCAVATION. When we were making ready for an advance on Gaza the A.P.M. of the Anzac Mounted Division (Captain Jordan) went up a high mound which dominated the oldest crossing of the Wadi Guzzo, and he found the Turks, in digging a trench around the summit and making a machine-gun emplacement, had revealed the edge of the mosaic. He made sure a large platform existed, and then some officers and men got to work on the hilltop, and after removing some six feet of soil and débris they cleared a mosaic floor measuring some 27ft by 18ft. The floor remained exposed till photographs, drawings in colour, and notes could be taken, and the lifting it began. The story of how that was accomplished was told me by “Padre” Maitland Woods in a few simple words, which made light of many difficulties and trials. I quote the chaplain’s language, which modestly describes how the little party in spare time (for they had other heavy duties to do after they left the hilltop each day) exercised extraordinary care and vigilance to preserve the mosaic as it was when the Christian worshippers gazed on it nearly fourteen centuries ago. “A number of engineers, under Major C. F. Wilson, R.E., assisted me in the removal,” the chaplain said. “First, a trench was dug all round the floor, so that we could work only stooping as low as our knees. Then, after carefully cleaning the portion to be first removed, hot glue was poured over it, and linen canvas spread over the glue. When the glue was cold a razor blade was inserted between the mosaic along a line previously agreed upon, the blade was worked gently to and fro until a very small chisel could be inserted. This slow and laborious method was persevered in until the portion was isolated, and then three layers of (a) rubble, (b) grey cement, and (c) white thin plaster immediately under the mosaic stones were all carefully withdrawn from the part to be removed, which then was like a drum head. “As the substrata were taken away boards were placed underneath the mosaic, and were built up with flat stones, these ‘piers’ taking the weight and preventing fractures. We worked from six a.m. till two p.m. on a floor of earth burning with intense heat from the sun without stop. But the result was worthy of the effort, as although the inscription contains 8,000 small pieces of mosaic we did not lose one stone. The box in which it was to be placed was made by the engineers. In it was mixed a bath, two inches deep, of plaster of Paris, and when this was at the setting point the fragile mosaic was freed from the ground, was slowly pushed into the sticky substance, and coaxed down absolutely level. “In two hours’ time the canvas and glue were washed off, and the mosaic padded with tibbin (the finely-cut straw used for camel feed) was sealed in its case. This process was carried out with each separate piece. The work took fourteen days, and when we were half through I was told I could have no more plaster of Paris, as there was no more available. This was a terrible blow to me, but young Coveney, an engineer officer, said he knew where there was an excellent pocket of clay a mile down the wadi, and Egyptian labourers were set to tread it and mix it with tibbin, and the rest of the mosaic was slid into boxes filled with a ‘float’ of this mixture, which has now set admirably.” AN ANCIENT INSCRIPTION. The surviving part of the inscription has been translated by Mr. A. H. Smith, of the Department, of Graeco-roman Antiquities, British Museum, to read thus: “X (sign of the Cross). This temple with spacious (?foundations) was built by our most holy (bishop or similar title) and most pious George ---in the year 622 according to ---- (? the year of Gaza).” The era of Gaza commenced B.C. 61, which would give the date of the church as A.D. 561. Another possible era is that of Bostra, then the date of the church would be A.D. 727. The Rev. Maitland Woods says the inscription elaborated would read something like this: “X. And so he contributed generously to the building of this church hero; he who was the most saintly of us all, and the most beloved of God, George was his name, and the (building was) erected in the 622nd year after (the Roman foundation of the city of Gaza).” I quote the Chaplain: “Under this inscription were discovered the bones of the Saint, lying feet to east and arms crossed on chest. These, almost 1,400 years old, crumbled at the touch. The right forearm had been broken, and had set beautifully, which was evidenced by the extra bulging bone growth around the fracture. There were skilled disciples of Aesculapius in those days. Such bones as would bear very careful handling were reverently placed in a casket, but this had to be done when the high wind of the afternoon had died down. “We know little of St. George of Cappadocia, the patron Saint of England, except that he was a soldier man, a Roman soldier, and that he was converted to Christianity in Palestine, which at the time of the building of this church at Shellal was the radiating centre of Christianity – up to 639A.D., when Arab Mohammedanism swept like a fire over the country. The mosaic itself, so far as design is concerned, is animated by a classic gaiety which savours somewhat of a recent Greek mythology. The subject is from the words: ‘I am the true Vine, ye are the branches.’ The vine grows from a most beautiful amphora, designed in many coloured marbles, which must have been imported from East and West. It embraces in its circles many animals, all of which, with two exceptions, are making an obeisance to a central chalice, which is the chef d’oeuvre of the designer. Is it possible that each animal represents some settlement in this district which had embraced Christianity, as the lion now stands for England, the eagle for Russia, and so on? “Elijah was fed by ‘Ravens,’ but were the tribe who brought him food Bedouins, who were known as the Raven tribe, and who would be anxious to feed a holy man in solitude? This idea, I believe, is now gaining ground. A rabbit in the top left-hand corner is being chased by a red hound, perhaps this is to represent a tribe which had refused to become Christian. In front of the east end, where the altar would be, is a fish cut in half, half in one panel, half in another. Dagon was the fish god of the Philistines; does this mean his destruction? There are many other designs, among them a large basket of flowers carried on four handles, and a basket of fruit with birds pecking at it.” This mosaic and the remains of the Saint, recovered from destruction by waters washing away the hill, are now in many cases packed away at a spot far from the scene of battle. They will some time after peace is declared find a safe repository in a city where they will be appreciated. It is to be hoped the generations who will admire the beautiful designs and will have a reverence for all they stand for will also remember how the Empire’s fighting men saved them for posterity.