The Megiddo Mosaic is on display for the first time ever at The Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. A friend visited on Monday and sent photos with permission to share them below.
The mosaic has been heralded because it comes from an early Christian building that dates to about AD 230, nearly a century before the Roman empire became Christian under Constantine. This makes it the earliest known Christian house of prayer (or worship hall or church). Furthermore, one of the three Greek inscriptions mentions “God Jesus Christ,” providing archaeological evidence of the belief in Jesus’s deity.
You can see translations and explanations of all three inscriptions at the museum’s website. A separate page describes the significance of the designs, including the fish symbol. The museum’s announcement page has more photos and information. Gordon Govier posted a story on the mosaic at Christianity Today yesterday (subscription required). For a much lengthier explanation of the inscriptions, see Christopher Rollston’s website.
All photos are courtesy of Steven Sanchez.
The complete mosaic display
This inscription reads, “The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial.” The phrase “God Jesus Christ” is on the right side of the second line from the bottom.
This inscription reads, “Remember Primilla and Cyriaca and Dorothea, and lastly, Chreste.”
The mosaic is on display at the museum until July 6. I’ve posted on this discovery a few times since it was first announced in 2005:
- Ancient Church Found at Megiddo (Nov 2005)
- Move the Megiddo Prison (Jan 2006)
- Lick the Megiddo Prison Mosaic (May 2006)
- That Megiddo “Church” (July 2006)
- Megiddo Church/Prayer Hall (August 2006)
- Tabor on the Megiddo “Prayer Hall” (Dec 2006)
- Megiddo Prison Church (April 2012)
