Sephoris

We are back in Jerusalem after four days in Galilee. One of our many highlights is a visit to the town of Sephoris. Sephoris is just a few miles from Nazareth, maybe a thirty minute walk. The Romans built Sephoris as their new capital in Galilee during the early life of Jesus. It is not difficult to imagine Joseph and his young son Jesus walking over the hills to find work in this new city. There would be plenty for a tradesman to do. Sephoris is filled with beautiful mosaic floors. The Romans loved big banquets and in the floor of one of the sumptuous banquet halls is this mosaic, nicknames the Mona Lisa of Galilee. What these artisans could do with a little colored stone is astounding. It is so exquisite in detail and marvelously shaded, I wondered who could have designed such beauty?