Byzantine Church Petra

The Byzantine Church in Petra features a vast, intricate floor of colorful stone mosaics that have survived the collapse of the building's roof and walls. Constructed in the sixth century, the church served the local population long after the city's golden age had passed. A massive fire destroyed the building, but it also baked the floor, preserving the patterns beneath the debris. Archaeologists later recovered nearly one hundred and fifty papyrus scrolls from a nearby storage room, revealing the private lives of local residents.