Exceptional Preservation and Image of Jesus: 1,200-Year-Old Bread Unearthed in T?rkiye

Five Charred Loaves from 1,200 Years Ago Unearthed in T?rkiye
"Exceptionally Well Preserved" with Images of Jesus and Reflections of the Era

In southern T?rkiye, the discovery of charred bread estimated to date back to the 7th-8th century AD has drawn academic attention, as the surface of the bread bears both the image of Jesus Christ and a Greek inscription reading, "Thankful to the Blessed Jesus." On October 19 (local time), international media outlets such as the New York Post reported that the government of Karaman Province in south-central T?rkiye recently excavated five pieces of charred bread at the Topraktepe site, known as the ancient city of Eirenopolis.

According to a photo posted on the official social media account of the Karaman Provincial Government on the 8th, the surface of a bread bore the image of Jesus along with a Greek phrase that read, "Thankful to the Blessed Jesus." Photo by Karaman Valiligi SNS

According to a photo posted on the official social media account of the Karaman Provincial Government on the 8th, the surface of one bread bore the image of Jesus along with a Greek phrase that read, "Thankful to the Blessed Jesus." Notably, unlike the traditional Byzantine depiction of Christ Pantokrator, which shows Jesus holding the Bible in one hand and raising the other in blessing, the newly discovered image portrays "Jesus the Farmer," sowing seeds. The Karaman Provincial Government stated, "This bread is believed to have been made in the 7th-8th century AD and was likely used as Eucharistic bread in early Christian rituals at that time."

Local excavation officials explained, "This reflects the fact that fertility and labor were considered religiously significant virtues at the time." Other pieces of bread also featured patterns in the form of the Maltese Cross, a symbol of Christian military orders. The Karaman Provincial Government noted, "The fact that these breads were preserved through carbonization demonstrates an exceptionally favorable preservation environment," adding, "The breads discovered this time are among the best-preserved examples found so far in the Asian region (Anatolia) of T?rkiye."

Charred bread engraved with a Maltese Cross pattern. Karaman Valiligi SNS

This excavation was conducted under the supervision of the Karaman Museum, with permission from the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of T?rkiye. In recent years, a series of early Christian archaeological discoveries have been made in southern T?rkiye, including Karaman Province. In 2024, the remains of 4th-5th century churches were newly identified in the border region between T?rkiye and Armenia, reflecting the ongoing vibrancy of ancient Christian cultural research.