Archaeologists discover one of the earliest-known images of Jesus — and he's beardles

The Week ^ | October 9, 2014

[NYer]

Archaeologists have uncovered one of the earliest-known images of Jesus in the town of Cástulo in Andalusia, Spain. The image, engraved on a glass plate known as a paten, shows a beardless, short-haired Jesus.

The archaeologists estimate the 8.6-inch paten is from the fourth century C.E., and they suspect it was used to hold Eucharistic bread. The image shows Jesus in a philosopher's toga, along with two other — also beardless — male figures, whom researchers suspect are Peter and Paul, two of Jesus' apostles. All three of the men are depicted with halos. "The scene takes place in the celestial orb, framed between two palm trees, which in Christian iconography represent immortality, the afterlife, and heaven, among other things," the archaeologists said in a statement.

The paten is the earliest depiction that has been found in Spain, Discovery News reports, and it is "in an excellent state of preservation," with 81 percent of its original contents restored. The paten is now on display at the Archaeological Museum of Linares. --Meghan DeMaria

Early Image of Beardless Jesus Found: http://t.co/j5K0t20NFc pic.twitter.com/oTOH1GkgzS — Discovery News (@DNews) October 5, 2014

[OldNewYork]

Makes sense.

[maine-iac7]

Keep in mind that the image in the Shroud is the face of a badly beaten man - with a broken nose and cheekbone - swollen face etc.

The Pentocrator is my very favorite and I believe the artist saw the actual Shroud - as did others. Some iconic paintings that depict this same face added a few wisps of hair on the forehead - copied from the Shroud. What they didn’t realize was that the ‘wisps’ were not hair, but streaks of blood. - But their paintings are a silent witness to the fact that they were copying the likeness from The Shroud.

Many of the hundreds of iconic paintings of Jesus, done for churches, were also copied from these original paintings.

There are also written records that give His physical appearece.

Also, see post 102 fora much earlier likeness - sketched from an emerald carving of Him, ordered by the Emperor Tiberius...who was Emperor at the time of the Crucifixion...

[maine-iac7]

But how do we know that Jesus and his mother were white? Didn’t they live in the Middle East?

Because HISTORY is HISTORY - no matter how much you want to twist it for your own reasons.

Jesus AND Mary were of the line of David - Not only white - but likely 'whiter' than many Jewish people.

There are many historical references to this - some making the remark that, due to 'exposure' He appeared darker (i.e. tan)

Why do so many people continue with the 'swarthy, dark complected, dark, curly hair" mantra for all Jews. (Weren't these darker Jews from the tribe of Judah?)

They weren't all the same back then any more than they are today. There are MANY blue-eyed, blond, light skinned Jewish people.

[maine-iac7]

I have yet to see it explained why there is no space at the top of the head between the front of the body and the back of the body...

Simple, really.

The burial cloth was one long piece, 14' 3" long. = His body was laid on the bottom length and the rest was drawn up over his head and down the front.

Therefore, there was no 'space' - it touched the head at every point.

All information - a plethora of research and documentation - is available online. It continues to amaze me at how many folk opine without doing research...

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

I’m not trying to twist anything. I don’t care either way.

[Iscool]

The burial cloth was one long piece, 14' 3" long. = His body was laid on the bottom length and the rest was drawn up over his head and down the front. Therefore, there was no 'space' - it touched the head at every point.

All information - a plethora of research and documentation - is available online. It continues to amaze me at how many folk opine without doing research...

Sorry...That not the way it works...The cloth at the top of the head would show up as a space between the image of the front of the head and the back of the head...It's pretty simple, really...

[Bigg Red]

And I refuse to use them myself, but whenever I encounter “CE” or “BCE”, I just read them as “the Christian Era” and “Before the Christian Era”, respectively.

[ColdSteelTalon]

Modern ideas about what Jesus looked like are based on Cesar Borgia. The Jews that lived during the time of Christ were verily heavily influenced by Greek culture.

Cesar Borgia was considered such a handsome man that they used is likeness in many renderings of Jesus.