New Archaeological Study of the Armenian ‘Birds Mosaic’ Chapel in Jerusalem.

The Byzantine funerary chapel decorated with the “Birds Mosaic” was discovered in 1894, during construction activities north of the city walls in Jerusalem, in the Musrara neighbourhood (Anon. 1894; Schick and Bliss 1894; Séjourné 1894; Murray 1895; Owsepian 1895; Guthe 1895; Bliss and Dickie 1898:253–259). Its mosaic floor (Fig. 1), one of the best exemplars of Byzantine craftsmanship, decorated with a vine scroll springing from an amphora and populated with various birds, was accompanied by a memorial Armenian inscription (Stone 2002; CIIP I/2: No. 812). A private house was built upon the findspot, as planned, and the ground-floor containing the mosaic remains was purchased by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.