▁a ▁front ier ▁city ▁until ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁Justin ian ▁when ▁this ▁fund ing ▁ceased ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁went ▁into ▁decl ine . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Israel , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁to - be ▁David ▁Ben - G ur ion ▁saw ▁M amps is ▁as ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁country , ▁which ▁dov etailed ▁with ▁his ▁dream ▁of ▁sett ling ▁the ▁Neg ev ▁Des ert . ▁ ▁Two ▁churches ▁were ▁discovered ▁in ▁M amps is . ▁The ▁western ▁St . ▁N ilus ▁Church ▁has ▁a ▁m osa ic ▁floor ▁with ▁colour ful ▁geometric ▁patterns , ▁birds , ▁a ▁fruit ▁basket , ▁and ▁five ▁dedic ations ▁in ▁Greek . ▁The ▁eastern ▁church ▁has ▁a ▁lect ern ▁on ▁small ▁mar ble ▁pill ars , ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁at ▁the ▁site . ▁ ▁The ▁biggest ▁ho ard ▁of ▁tre asure ▁ever ▁found ▁in ▁Israel ▁was ▁discovered ▁in ▁M amps is ; ▁ 1 0 , 5 0 0 ▁silver ▁co ins , ▁a ▁ 7 2 K g , ▁lead ▁ing ot ▁with ▁its ▁found ry ▁mark ings , ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁ancient ▁Greek ▁texts ▁on ▁pap yrus , ▁and ▁other ▁objects ▁indic ative ▁of ▁wealth y ▁people . ▁ ▁M amps is ▁was ▁declared ▁a ▁world ▁her itage ▁site ▁by ▁UN ES CO ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Gallery ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Mam sh it ▁National ▁Park ▁- ▁official ▁site ▁Inc ense ▁Route ▁- ▁Des ert ▁C ities