A silver amulet discovered in Germany has yielded an inscription that pushes back the known history of Christianity in the region by 50 to 100 years.
Researchers have deciphered a mysterious inscription hidden within an ancient amulet, uncovering fascinating new insights into the early history of Christianity.The small, silver amulet was originally found in 2018 at the archaeological site of Nida—an ancient Roman town located near the former northern frontier of the empire in what is now the suburbs of the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany .Excavations at the site revealed the amulet in a Roman grave dated to between A.D.
230–270, tucked under the lower jaw of a man's skeleton. Known as a phylactery, this type of amulet served as a kind of container to hold objects believed to be imbued with magical properties that were intended to protect the wearer.The Frankfurt amulet, in particular, contains a wafer-thin piece of rolled up silver foil featuring an inscription, which researchers have finally managed to decode with the help of advanced technology, the city of Frankfurt am Main announced in a statement.Why is this early Christian amulet so important?The findings of the recent investigations suggest that the wearer of the amulet was a devout Christian—an 'extraordinary' find for this region and period. According to the researchers, the amulet represents the earliest reliable evidence of 'pure Christianity' north of the Alps mountain range, which is located in south-central Europe.Historical sources make references to early Christian groups in the Roman territories of Gaul and Germania Superior—both of which (primarily) lie north of the Alps. But reliable physical evidence of Christian life north of the Alps uncovered to date typically only dates as far back as the 4th century A.D.'The 'Frankfurt Inscription' is a scientific sensation. Thanks to it, the history of Christianity in Frankfurt and far beyond will have to be turned back by around 50 to 100 years,' the city's Lord Mayor Mike Josef said in the statement. 'The first Christian find north of the Alps comes from our city'
CHRISTIANITY ANCIENT AMULET GERMANY HISTORY
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