Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a 1,500-year-old Byzantine church dedicated to an anonymous martyr, said the Israel Antiquities Authority on Wednesday. /VCG Photo

The church is part of a 1,500-square-meter site which also includes a large courtyard and a corridor. The site was found in the city of Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem during the construction of a new residential neighborhood. /VCG Photo

Elaborately designed mosaic floors were found in the church, depicting images of leaves, fruit, birds and geometric shapes. Among them is an eagle, a symbol of the Byzantine Empire, showing the significance of the site. /VCG Photo

An inscription on a mosaic says the site was dedicated to a "glorious martyr", who is not identified. Researchers believe it had been a popular pilgrimage site. /VCG Photo