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Posted on 11/05/2005 3:38:44 PM PST by SmithL
Expansion plans for Megiddo Prison, until now known only as a main facility for security prisoners in the North, have unexpectedly yielded a major find for the Christian world and Israeli tourism: a structure believed by some archeologists to be the earliest church ever found.
The rare Christian religious structure, possibly the largest church ever found here according to reports, was found during an Israel Archeological Association (IAA) excavation at the site, discovered thanks to the help of, among others, 60 prisoners who worked on the dig.
Found on the floor of the structure was an inscription written in Greek dedicating the monument to the ŒLord Jesus Christ. In addition to the dedication to Jesus, three other inscriptions were found on the mosaic floor.
One of them, the northernmost inscription on the mosaic, constituted a dedication to Gaianus, a military officer who contributed to the construction of the mosaic floor from his own funds. Another, the easternmost inscription, memorialized four Greek women. The last of the inscriptions, on the western side of the mosaic recalled a certain god-loving "Afektos."
IAA excavation supervisor Jotham Tefer said that the content, wording and style of the inscriptions date the structure to the 3rd-4th centuries CE.
"Christian religious structures from this period are a rare archeological find in Israel," Tefer said.
"Third to fourth century mosaics, including those with inscriptions, are very rare. This [finding] is a unique and important structure [and expands] our understanding of the early period of Christianity as a recognized and official religion," he continued.
The IAA excavation was initiated following the Israel Prisons Service's (IPS) request to expand the Megiddo Prison to check the surrounding area earmarked for expansion for artifacts.
The IPS, which confirmed the finding, expressed their hope that the ancient structure would not stall their efforts to expand the prison. "We need to see if it will be transferred elsewhere," the IPS said in a statement.
"We are interested in expanding the prison and we hope the find will not hinder our plans."
You bet!
Wish we could see pictures of the find.
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Cool
Great stuff. Built by Greeks...of course! :)
Upper-class Romans used Greek to talk to each other, in much the same fashion as upper-crust Russkis and Poles used French. In fact, if you couldn't speak Greek, you had about as much chance of making the drachma as a Kalifornia Kontractor who can't speak Spanish.
Upper-class Romans used Greek to talk to each other, in much the same fashion as upper-crust Russkis and Poles used French. In fact, if you couldn't speak Greek, you had about as much chance of making the drachma as a Kalifornia Kontractor who can't speak Spanish.
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Thank you very much!
I find this fascnating.
another source (thanks spyone)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4411286.stm
similar, later FR topics:
Archaeologists Discover Ancient Church-(heh JC and Armagedon... are we having fun?)
ap | 11.7.05 | na
Posted on 11/05/2005 9:26:41 PM PST by Flavius
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1516619/posts
Israeli Archaeologists Discover Roman-era Christian Building
Washington Post | 11/6/05 | Scott Wilson
Posted on 11/06/2005 1:22:28 PM PST by saquin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1516876/posts
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LOL! Read about over the weekend. This has to be one of the first big "institutional" churches after Constantine. I would love to be able to go and see it some day.
You can find a few here ...
WOW!
Thank you!
That is inspiring.
"Great stuff. Built by Greeks...of course! :)"
... maybe built by the Greeks, but the inscription on the Mosaic thanks a Roman soldier for donating the money to build it.
Actually, the Greek text signifies that the donor of the altar table (which is want this mosaic actually talks about), Atektous, was a women and it is the altar table, not the mosaic, which is her memorial. By the time this church was built, probably before the Edict of Nantes, but surely during the reign of +Constantine the Great, the "Roman" Empire in Palestine was the Eastern Roman Empire...Greek. The soldier who paid for the mosaics was likely either a Greek or an Hellenized citizen of the Empire.
Not that any of this really makes any difference. I think its just wonderful that we have such a find.
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