For the first time ever an Israeli exhibit can be seen at The Louvre in Paris. From now until mid-August the magnificent Lod mosaic is on display at the Cour du Sphinx (Sphinx Courtyard) in the Roman wing. 

 The 1700-year-old Roman mosaic was recovered during highway construction in Lod, Israel in 1996, and later excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority in 2009. It is believed to have been part of a large reception room in a private home.

The mosaic, measuring approximately 50 by 27 feet, was laid around 300 AD and is made up of marble and limestone tesserae. At the time, Lod was known as Lydda (mentioned in the New Testament in Acts 9:32 as the place where Peter healed the paralytic) or by the Roman name Diospolis and was a Roman Christian city. The mosaic was preserved by the house's fresco-covered mud-brick walls, which had collapsed onto it. The mosaic depicts a variety of colorful fish, birds and mammals. 

The video below describes the mosaic's discovery, excavation and restoration.    

The Lod Mosaic Discovery & Excavation