[1] The mosaic is part of a large corpus of similarly decorated Byzantine-period floors from Palestine, discovered in churches as well as in synagogues from the time.

[1] The sixth century has seen a sharp rise in the number of Christian pilgrims coming to the Holy Land, leading to the construction of numerous monasteries around Jerusalem, some with pilgrim hostels and cemeteries, of which a cluster of at least four stood north of the city, placing the Bird Mosaic in a true "monastic quarter".

Interwoven grape vines are another common motif in Byzantine mosaic floors in Egypt, including in synagogues from the period, such as in Gaza and Maon.

[dubious – discuss][citation needed] The birds have been identified by scholars as a variety of species found in the Land of Israel, including pigeons, geese, storks, swallows, partridge, pheasants, and more.

[1] She reminds us that a Church edict from 427 had prohibited the use of religious subjects in mosaic floors, since walking on them would constitute a sacrilege.

Apparently the cave served as part of the chapel, and perhaps it is the burial place of those Armenians "whose names are known only to God".

This mosaic was originally identified as a church, but later excavations in 2004 led to the conclusion that it was the courtyard of a palace from the late Byzantine period.

The Jerusalem mosaic is small, the medallions are separated by grape vines, the birds face the central axis, and the building was religious.

In contrast, the Caesarea mosaic is almost three times larger, the medallions have a stone border, all the birds face to the left, and the building was private.

[citation needed] The mosaic was initially located in an old building outside Damascus Gate, at 16, Prophets (HaNeviim) Street, in the Musrara neighbourhood.

[citation needed] The mosaic has been transferred to the Armenian Quarter of the Old City, where it has been put on display in the courtyard of the renovated Mardigian Museum, which has reopened in 2022.