The oldest Christian artifact in Bulgaria and the first with the name of Christ

A silver amulet from the second half of the 2nd century or the beginning of the 3rd century was discovered in the grave of a young man at the site of the Bulgarian archaeological park Deultum-Debelt. It contains the first mention of Christ, the first sign of the cross and the first mentions of the archangels Gabriel and Michael. It is the oldest Christian amulet discovered in Bulgaria.

The silver, tightly rolled, cigar-shaped sheet was discovered in the summer of 2023 during research on the burial of a young man in the necropolis of the Deultum-Debelt National Archaeological Reserve. This is the necropolis of the ancient Roman colony of Deultum near the present-day village of Debelt in southeastern Bulgaria. The object was deliberately placed near the head of the deceased, who according to Christian custom lay alone in the grave without any other equipment.

At first, the artefact appeared to be a massive silver ingot. On closer examination, archaeologists discovered that it was a very tightly coiled thin silver foil. It was probably originally housed in a leather or cloth case and possibly worn as a pendant. Alternatively, it may have been placed in clothing, intended to remain hidden from others on the wearer's body.

"Inscriptions in public rarely openly revealed the religious devotion of early Christians," Sharankov noted. "They often used innocuous symbols, such as birds or fish, or general terms like 'God' that did not arouse suspicion. Explicit references to Christ were rare. The only known example was discovered in a tomb inscription from Plovdiv, ancient Philippopolis, dating from the early 3rd century. In this case, however, the name "Jesus" was transmitted by means of a cipher - probably understood only by Christians - as the number 888. In contrast, the amulet of Deultum, hidden from prying eyes, allowed for a direct reference to Christ without any ambiguity or need for secrecy," he added.

Without damaging the surface, the conservators were able to unroll the thin slice. Inside was an inscription translated as "Gabriel, Michael, the Guardian - Christ," described Dr. Nikolay Sharankov, who worked with the archaeological team to decipher the inscription. "The inscription Guardian ΦΥΛΑΞ indicates Christ's role and the purpose of the amulet to protect its wearer," explained archaeologist Dora Todorova. The word Christ is written as +ΡЄICTOC, with the first letter X, rotated 45 degrees to form a cross. This is a symbolic feature found in some other early Christian inscriptions. The spelling of the letter I in Christ's name as "EI" is also very interesting.

Colonia Deultum from the 1st century AD served as the first Roman colony in the area. It was used for the veterans of the VIII. Augustus' Legion. Archaeological research on the colony began in the 1980s and has yielded a wealth of information from various sites. The southern necropolis of the colony was the focal point of research for several seasons. The artifacts found, including the amulet, are now on display in the archaeopark's museum. Among the most interesting discoveries are. Medical instruments, children's toys, pacifiers, jewellery, ceramics, military equipment and musical instruments that illuminate the daily life of the inhabitants of Deultum.

The silver amulet is a testament to the rich history and cultural significance of the region. It provides invaluable insight into the early Christian communities of the Roman Empire.

Video

Roman Nemec

Sources: novinite.com, allthatsinteresting.com, bta.bg

The scroll in its original state

unfolded silver amulet

a reading of the excavations in the Deultum-Debelt reservation