Fourth-Century Church near Lod (Diospolis)

This fourth century church may have been built by the bishop of Lod for the benefit of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, or possibly at some site hallowed by a tradition unknown to us. From the preliminary results of our excavations it appears that the village did not exist prior of the erection of the church, but gradually developed around it. The church continued in use into the seventh century, as is shown by the ceramic finds and the damaging of animal figures on the ambo balustrade by iconoclasts. The settlement surrounding the church appears to have been abandoned at the time during which the new city of Ramla was established nearby, in the early eighth century.