A 1,500-year-old church complete with a stylish mosaic was discovered by archaeologists in southern Israel.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) believes the Byzantine-era building was perhaps used as an epicenter of Christian worship for the neighboring people.

The finding was made during a typical salvage excavation lead by the IAA before the construction of a new district in the area.

The church is nearly 72 feet long by 40 feet wide and it has a central hall with two side aisles separated by marble pillars. An open courtyard at the front of the structure is cemented with a white mosaic floor and a cistern, reported Fox News.

Directly off of the courtyard is a four-sided hall with another more sophisticated mosaic floor with colored geometric styles.

In addition, among the discoveries are five engravings, one of which made references to Mary and Jesus.

"At its center, opposite the entrance to the main hall, is a twelve-row dedicatory inscription in Greek containing the names Mary and Jesus, and the name of the person who funded the mosaic's construction," said archaeologist Daniel Varga in a press release.

The central hall has a mosaic with illustrations of various animals including a zebra, turtle, leopard, and wild boar. The designs also include Christian symbols.

Archaeologists also found glass vessels, oil lamps, cooking pots, kraters, amphorae, and bowls. These discoveries show a rich and prosperous local culture during the Byzantine era.

In order to protect the location, it will be concealed with dirt and the IAA is planning to take out the mosaic floors to be placed on display.