The ruins of an ancient Byzantine church have been discovered this summer at a local Birzeit mountain known as "Jabal Elkhirbeh".
Close to the site, Dr. Hamid Salem and his team from the History and Archeology Department of Birzeit University, unearthed what seems to be the ruins of a Roman cardo, a street which was lined with shops, and served as the center of economic life. The ruins of a smaller crusader church built on top of the Byzantine church were evident. Also, the place was settled by peasants from the Mamluk and the Ottoman period.
Judging from the large size of the church, Dr. Salem concluded that Birzeit must have been a prominent city in those days. The site was tampered with and destroyed by people who settled the place after the Byzantine era. More recent constructions too, like the town's water reservoir and a new road, contributed to the damage.
Dr. Hamid, along with his colleagues and students, dig at different sites of Al-Khirbeh each summer as part of the work of the Archeology Department at BZU.
Many local Birzeitis visited the site this summer and were impressed by the colored mosaic that is seen for the first time in ruins around Birzeit. The mosaic colors are not as clear because they are still covered with dust. Some of the mosaics are beautiful and become sharper after they are washed with water. One exciting section of the mosaics represents a big bird and a tiny fish in front of it.