The earliest known evidence of Christianity north of Italy was recently unveiled by archaeologists, who call the discovery one of the « most important testimonies of early Christianity. »
The artifact, publicized by the Frankfurt Archaeological Museum last week, is called the Frankfurt silver inscription. Discovered in 2018, the inscription has been analyzed and studied for years before finally being released to the public this month.
The Frankfurt silver inscription is an engraving on silver foil that consists of 18 lines written in Latin. It dates to between 230 and 260 A.D. and was discovered wrapped in a small silver amulet.
In a press release translated from German, the museum explained that the artifact was found in a third-century grave in Hesse, Germany, in what was once the former Roman city of Nida. The inscription begins, « In the name of Saint Titus, Holy, holy, holy! In the name of Jesus Christ, God’s Son! »
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Experts recently decoded and released the earliest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps found in a third-century grave. (Frankfurt Archaeological Museum)
Saint Titus was a first-century Christian missionary and disciple of Paul the Apostle. The inscription also calls for the amulet to protect « the man who gives to the will the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son. »
« The heavenly, the earthly and the underground, and every tongue confess (to Jesus Christ), » the text concludes.
Written in Latin, the inscription took several weeks to decipher due to its deteriorated condition. Archaeologists needed to « digitally unroll » the silver foil, which had been crumpled for around 1,800 years.
Using computed tomography and state-of-the-art technological equipment, the text was finally decrypted in May. It was then translated over an extended period of time.
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The early Christian inscription was written in Latin, which was unusual at the time. (Frankfurt Archaeological Museum)
« Sometimes it took weeks, even months, for me to have the next idea, » Goethe University professor Markus Scholz said of the translation process. « I brought in experts from the history of theology, among other things, and piece by piece we have approached the text together and ultimately deciphered it. »
Scholz added that the inscription was « very sophisticated » and called its author « an elaborate writer. »
« It is unusual that the inscription is completely in Latin, » Scholz said. « This is unusual for this time. Such inscriptions were usually written in amulets in Greek or Hebrew. »
Not only is the inscription not written in Hebrew, it doesn’t reference Judaism at all, nor does it contain any pagan elements, which makes it even more unique.
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The silver foil was « digitally unrolled » and translated by experts. (Frankfurt Archaeological Museum)
« It is unusual that there is no reference in the inscription to any other belief besides Christianity, » the museum’s press release added. « Usually until the fifth century, a mixture of different faiths can always be expected with precious metal amulets of this kind. Often there are still elements from Judaism or pagan influences. »
« But in this amulet neither Yahweh, the almighty God of Judaism, nor the archangels Raphael, Gabriel, Michael or Suriel are mentioned, no forefathers of Israel like Isaac or Jacob. And also no pagan elements like demons. The amulet is purely Christian. »
The press release called the artifact « one of the most important testimonies of early Christianity worldwide. »
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« So far, there has been no such early, authentic proof of pure Christianity north of the Alps, » the statement explained. « All [other] finds are at least around 50 years younger. »
The silver foil was found in a third-century grave. (Frankfurt Archaeological Museum)
« There are references from historiography to the first Christian groups in Gaul and perhaps also in the province of Upper Germania in the late second century, » the statement added. « However, certain evidence of Christian life in the northern Alpine regions of the Roman Empire generally only comes from the fourth century AD. »
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« These 18 lines, experts agree, will enormously enrich previous research on the spread of Christianity and the late period of Roman rule on the right of the Rhine. »
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