Etchings Found in Roman-Era Cistern in Israel

BE’ER SHEVA, ISRAEL—Drawings thought to have been etched some 2,000 years ago have been discovered on the wall of a cistern in southern Israel’s Negev Desert, according to a Live Science report. Uncovered during construction work, the cistern was dated based on the style of the reservoir and the plastering of its stairs. A Roman settlement was also found nearby. Davida Eisenberg-Degen of the Israel Antiquities Authority said the faint drawings include images of a sailor, several animal-like figures, and 13 ships that are very detailed and realistically proportioned. To read about mosaics recently discovered in Israel, go to “Gods of the Galilee.”