livius drusus
11-07-2005, 07:38 PM
The dating is unsure as of yet, but it looks like some prisoners in Meggido might have uncovered a really, really early church (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/07/international/middleeast/07mideast.html?8hpib).
Last week, the inmates discovered a Christian religious site that Israel's Antiquities Authority said may date to the third century A.D. and could be the earliest Christian church unearthed in the Holy Land, and possibly one of the earliest in the world.
Dozens of journalists were invited into the prison on Sunday to view two well-preserved tile mosaics, which include detailed inscriptions in Greek and which the authority said served as the floor of the church.
"It is for sure the earliest church in Israel that we know of," said Yotam Tepper, the archaeologist in charge of the dig, which began seven months ago.
Given that churches are thought to have been mainly underground until Constantine's 4th century edit decriminalizing Christianity, this find would stand out if the date could be confirmed.
"For people who study this, it would be very hard to accept that there is a Christian church here that dates to the third century," said Joe Zias, an anthropologist and a former curator with the Antiquities Authority. Mr. Zias, who has not seen the site, added, "My gut feeling is that we are looking at a Roman building that may have been converted to a church at a later date."
Pottery shards from cooking pots and wine jugs resting on the mosaic have been dated to the late third century A.D., suggesting the mosaic - and presumably the church - was already in place at that time, he said. The style of the Greek lettering in the three inscriptions point to the same period, he said, and the structure does not follow the traditional building pattern for churches that emerged in the fourth century.
Another inscription says a Roman military officer, Gaianus, "having sought honor, from his own money, has made the mosaic."
But Mr. Zias said it struck him as strange that a Roman military officer would take credit at a time when the Roman authorities prohibited practicing Christianity. "If I were a Roman soldier in the third century, I certainly wouldn't want my name on it," he said. "This would not have been a good career move. In fact, it sounds like the kiss of death."
Mr. Tepper said no decision had been made on the fate of the site. He said he hoped it could become a small museum, while acknowledging the problems of doing so inside a prison.
Neat stuff, eh?
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/11/07/international/07mideast.1841.jpg
Last week, the inmates discovered a Christian religious site that Israel's Antiquities Authority said may date to the third century A.D. and could be the earliest Christian church unearthed in the Holy Land, and possibly one of the earliest in the world.
Dozens of journalists were invited into the prison on Sunday to view two well-preserved tile mosaics, which include detailed inscriptions in Greek and which the authority said served as the floor of the church.
"It is for sure the earliest church in Israel that we know of," said Yotam Tepper, the archaeologist in charge of the dig, which began seven months ago.
Given that churches are thought to have been mainly underground until Constantine's 4th century edit decriminalizing Christianity, this find would stand out if the date could be confirmed.
"For people who study this, it would be very hard to accept that there is a Christian church here that dates to the third century," said Joe Zias, an anthropologist and a former curator with the Antiquities Authority. Mr. Zias, who has not seen the site, added, "My gut feeling is that we are looking at a Roman building that may have been converted to a church at a later date."
Pottery shards from cooking pots and wine jugs resting on the mosaic have been dated to the late third century A.D., suggesting the mosaic - and presumably the church - was already in place at that time, he said. The style of the Greek lettering in the three inscriptions point to the same period, he said, and the structure does not follow the traditional building pattern for churches that emerged in the fourth century.
Another inscription says a Roman military officer, Gaianus, "having sought honor, from his own money, has made the mosaic."
But Mr. Zias said it struck him as strange that a Roman military officer would take credit at a time when the Roman authorities prohibited practicing Christianity. "If I were a Roman soldier in the third century, I certainly wouldn't want my name on it," he said. "This would not have been a good career move. In fact, it sounds like the kiss of death."
Mr. Tepper said no decision had been made on the fate of the site. He said he hoped it could become a small museum, while acknowledging the problems of doing so inside a prison.
Neat stuff, eh?
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/11/07/international/07mideast.1841.jpg