Archaeologists excavating the Faydht Marina archaeological site in central Syria have uncovered mosaics from the Byzantine era (between the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the Muslim conquest in the 7th century). Byzantine coins recovered at the site date to the 5th century, but that doesn’t mean the mosaic dates to the same time. Pottery fragments from the Islamic era and the later Ottoman and Mamluk eras were also found.

Head of the archaeological mission Abdullah Basal said that the mosaic painting was greatly damaged as it is too close to the surface of a dusty road.

The uncovered parts revealed images for some kind of bird, almost a duck or a peahen, and a leopard separated with a grapevine decoration, he added. A head for a man riding upon an animal still covered while another head at the upper part of the painting was approximately revealed.

Basal said that the main theme of the painting was said to symbolize an ancient Roman legend inspired by the surrounding environment at that time[.]

The lime floor was found two meters under the road surface.