During excavations in the village of Taybeh, located in the Megiddo Valley (also known as the Jezreel Valley), in Israel, archaeologists found a rare stone inscription referring to Jesus Christ. It is worth noting that in Christian eschatology, the region is considered the site of the final battle between good and evil, Armageddon, a term derived from the Hebrew word “Har Megiddo”, which means “Mount Megiddo”.
As described by Heritage Daily, the inscription on the stone is in Greek, and was found at the entrance to a building dating back to the end of the 5th century, when the area was experiencing its known Byzantine or early Islamic period.
According to the researcher at the Institute of Archeology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Dr. Lea De Segni, the newly discovered inscription is a dedication to Jesus of the Bible. He says: “Christ was born of Mary. This is the work of the most devout and God-fearing bishop.” [Teodósio] And the miserable one[omas] It was built from the ground up. Whoever enters, let him pray over them.”
In addition to the inscription, two rooms with mosaic floors, decorated with geometric designs, were also found at the site.
Important discovery
It is important to note that Theodosius, the person referred to in the text portion as the founder of the building, was one of the first Christian bishops in the region, and even had religious authority in the city of Beit Shean – which served as the capital of the Byzantine province of Palestina Secunda. Researchers claim that the inscription aims to protect against the evil eye, and it has previously been found in other sites in the Byzantine world.
Walid al-Atrash, from the Israeli Antiquities Authority, says: “This is the first evidence of the presence of the Byzantine church in the village of Taybeh, and is in addition to other discoveries that testify to the activity of Christians who lived in the region.” IAA).
Source: Adventures in History/UOL.
