Preserving South Florida’s Archaeological Remains
Speaker: Jorge Zamanillo, Director, HistoryMiami
The preservation of archaeological sites in South Florida is supported by strong ordinances and laws intended to protect sites but working with developers, along with local municipalities, the State of Florida, and community partners, requires creative management of the cultural resources. Jorge Zamanillo will offer his perspective on some of the discoveries in recent history that led to the preservation of major archaeological remains in Miami. The lecture will cover not only the history of the sites but also the intricate negotiations and background stories that developed during the fight to preserve the resources. Different methods used to preserve and display these resources will also be shared.
This lecture series has been made possible by the generosity of Isaac Gilinski.
Predators and Prey: A Roman Mosaic from Lod, Israel
In 1996, workmen widening the Jerusalem–Tel Aviv road in Lod (formerly Lydda), Israel, made a startling discovery: signs of a Roman mosaic pavement were found about three feet below the modern ground surface. A rescue excavation was conducted immediately by the Israel Antiquities Authority, revealing a mosaic floor that measures approximately 50 feet long by 27 feet wide. This large and extraordinarily detailed mosaic floor has only recently been carefully removed from its site and conserved. Found in a large villa believed to belong to a wealthy Roman, the excellently preserved mosaic floor dates to about AD 300.