Israeli Archaeologists Discover Roman-era Christian Building

Washington Post ^ | 11/6/05 | Scott Wilson

[saquin]

MEGIDDO, Israel, Nov. 6 -- Israeli state archaeologists have discovered on the grounds of a high-security prison here mosaics, pottery and other remains of a Roman-era Christian building, which they say could be the oldest public place of Christian worship ever uncovered in Israel and perhaps one of the earliest such sites in the world.

The mosaic floor of the structure, buried beneath rock, soil and asphalt, was discovered Oct. 30 by an Israeli prisoner working on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The agency had been excavating the compound for more than a year to ensure that nothing of historic value is lost during an ongoing renovation project. Yardena Alexandre, a spokeswoman for the authority, called it "one of the most important finds for the history of early Christianity" at a news conference here Sunday.

Judging by the age of broken pottery discovered on the floor, the distinctive mosaic style, inscriptions citing Jesus Christ, and the apparent pre-Byzantine design of the building, state archaeologists say the structure was most likely a public place of Christian worship that dates to the mid-3rd or early 4th Century. If true, the find here would join the early 3rd-Century Christian gathering place at Dura-Europas in Syria as one of the oldest of its kind.

[saquin]

On the grounds of a high-security prison, Israeli archaeologists have uncovered remains of what could be the oldest public place of Christian worship. (AP)

[madison10]

Some of the designs on the mosaic look Celtic...

[zipp_city]

now one wonders who would have destroyed such a buliding

[Buck W.]

"Some of the designs on the mosaic look Celtic..."

Yes, or an Hermes tie.

[VRWCTexan]

Must just be me, but I find it rather "typical" of the leftest WaPO to write about this amazing find, and then use the term "Christan Building" rather than the term "church" - i.e. as I have seen used in 5 or 6 other articles regarding this new discovery....

[Chickensoup]

They have a problem with the words church building?

[YOUGOTIT]

"Some of the designs on the mosaic look Celtic"

Looks just like the floors in Pompeii and Herculaneum, except for the two fish. Both of these cities were destroyed in 79AD. But floors in Baia and other cities along the Pozzuoli coast have a similar look and they are BC.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks William. Two of these already so no ping, but adding to the catalog. Thanks again.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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[SunkenCiv]

another source (thanks spyone)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4411286.stm

earlier FR topics:

Ancient church uncovered in Megiddo Prison
Jerusalem Post | 11/5/5 | TIDHAR OFEK
Posted on 11/05/2005 3:38:44 PM PST by SmithL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1516475/posts

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

[Caramelgal]

I was thinking the same thing. It looks very similar to other Roman mosaics of the period except for the fish motif.

And I am not so concerned over the church vs. place of worship argument. It’s hard to imagine a “church” during that period as in a building as we would know it today.

But 3rd or 4th century would be around the reign of Constantine when the official religion of the Roman Empire became Christianity.

[SunkenCiv]