Lod Mosaic, Roman mosaic floor in Lod, Israel.

The Lod Mosaic is a Roman mosaic floor of about 180 square meters, measuring 17 by 9 meters, displayed at the Shelby White and Leon Levy Lod Mosaic Archaeological Center in Lod. Its panels show fish, an eel, and a large stylized fish with open jaws, framed by guilloche and braided borders. A central octagon depicts two figures seated in baskets on an elephant, surrounded by a tiger, a lion, horned animals, birds, and two birds flanking a golden goblet.

Road construction workers uncovered this mosaic floor from the 3rd century in 1996 by chance. The Israel Antiquities Authority then conducted a full archaeological excavation and eventually moved the ancient artwork to a dedicated museum center.

Archaeologists Elie Haddad and Miriam Avissar noted the absence of human figures, rare in Roman mosaics, and proposed the floor was commissioned by a Jew observing the prohibition of graven images. They also suggest it may have been an ex-voto, a thank offering after deliverance from shipwreck, pointing to the torn ropes, broken mast and damaged steering oars of the central ship.

The mosaic is shown in the Shelby White and Leon Levy Lod Mosaic Archaeological Center, opened in June 2022 on the site where it was found. The floor lies at ground level in a single hall, so it can be viewed from all sides. A smaller mosaic found just south of it is also planned for display there.

The mosaic contains rare depictions of rhinoceroses and giraffes, animals that appear seldom in Roman art from this period. These exotic creatures suggest the owner had knowledge of distant lands or connections to trade with faraway regions.