Archaeologists say the ancient inscription could rewrite the history of Christianity in northern Italy

Archaeologists have discovered an engraved silver amulet that a theologian now says could rewrite the history of Christianity north of the Alpine mountain range.

The engraved amulet was found buried in a grave in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2018. According to a city press release. The city said the mascot is just over an inch in size and has thin, embossed silver foil wrapped inside it. It took years to determine what the inscription said: it had to be deciphered by computer scanning because the chip was too fragile to open. The so-called “Frankfurt silver engraving” was presented to the public earlier in December.

The inscription has been identified as a statement of faith in Jesus Christ, written in Latin. The city said the statement showed the wearer “was clearly a devout Christian, which is very unusual at this time.”

Researchers dated the grave in which the amulet was found to between 230 and 270 AD. The city said this is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps: all other finds are several decades younger, with “reliable evidence” of the religion in the area dating back to the 4th century.

The inscription did not mention any religion other than Christianity, which researchers said was unusual. Until the 5th century, this type of amulet “always contained a mixture of different religions”, such as Judaism or paganism. Instead, it is based entirely on Christianity. At one time the prayer was “Holy, holy, holy!” existing. Researchers have previously dated this supplication to no later than the fourth century. The amulet also included quotes from the Bible that were used by Christians at the time.

“The Frankfurt inscription is a scientific sensation,” Mayor Mike Joseph said in a translated statement. “This will force us to retrace the history of Christianity in Frankfurt and beyond by about 50 to 100 years. The first Christian discovery north of the Alps comes from our city: we can be proud of that, especially now, near the Christmas. The participants have done a wonderful job at Christmas.”

The researchers said this discovery will lead to a re-evaluation of the cemetery where the amulet was uncovered. It will also revise ideas about Christianity north of the Alps.

German church historian Ulrich Fulp He told the Evangelical Press Service The amulet can be used to help understand how Christianity spread across the Roman Empire in the third century, even amid persecution.

“The importance of this discovery cannot be overstated,” Volpe said.

The news comes about six months after experts in Germany announced that a newly deciphered manuscript dating back 1,600 years had been identified as the original. The oldest record of the childhood of Jesus Christ.