Archaeologists Find Oil Lamps Featuring Christian Symbols
Dec 16, 2020 16:32:01 GMT
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Dec 16, 2020 16:32:01 GMT
Archaeologists in Israel recently uncovered 1,700 lamps, some with Christian and Jewish symbols on them which further bolsters a previously contested argument about Christians in the region.
The find became an "archaeological hallmark" after it solved an "archaeological mystery" dating back to 1934 concerning Christians and Jews in the Beit Shemesh area, CBN News reports.
The lamps provide further proof of Christians flourishing in the region alongside Israelis during the second century A.D., which Josephus previously wrote about. However, until now, there was scant evidence of either community. The lamps were found in the Beit Shemesh region of Israel near the Beit Nattif village, located southwest from Jerusalem.
"We uncovered a water cistern that looked, at first sight, like many others in the region. But to our surprise, excavation beside the cistern began unearthing massive quantities of oil lamps, stone lamp molds and figurine fragments," said excavation directors Moran Balila, Itai Aviv, Nicolas Benenstein and Omer Shalev in a statement.
The lamps provide further proof of Christians flourishing in the region alongside Israelis during the second century A.D., which Josephus previously wrote about. However, until now, there was scant evidence of either community. The lamps were found in the Beit Shemesh region of Israel near the Beit Nattif village, located southwest from Jerusalem.
"We uncovered a water cistern that looked, at first sight, like many others in the region. But to our surprise, excavation beside the cistern began unearthing massive quantities of oil lamps, stone lamp molds and figurine fragments," said excavation directors Moran Balila, Itai Aviv, Nicolas Benenstein and Omer Shalev in a statement.
